Court adjourns trial of Ethiopian opposition leader

June 18, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Federal High Court adjourned the trial of the defendants under the file of Eng Hailu Shawl, leader of main opposition party Coalition for Unity and Democracy, until 12 July 2007 in its session held here Monday 18 June.

The court postponed the trial as the presiding judge failed to appear for a reason and as the other two judges under pressure by workload, the official ENA reported..

The court was supposed to pass a decision whether the defendants should give their evidences to the prosecutor or not.

Defendants Daniel Kebede and Netsanet Demise on their part requested the court to shorten their adjournment.

The court said it adjourned the trail because of the workload that has been facing the judges.

Shawl is detained since November 2005 after demonstrations in the country to protest against fraud in the parliamentary elections of 15 May 2005. Police shot dead 42 demonstrators and wounded 200 others during the protests in early November.

(ST)