Ethiopian opposition figures face death penalty

July 9, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Prosecutors in Ethiopia’s high court requested the death penalty on Monday for 38 opposition figures convicted last month of planning a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

“According to the country’s penal code maximum punishment should be dealt to parties found guilty of plotting against the constitution,” chief prosecutor Abraha Tetemke said.

The 38 are among more than 100 opposition figures put on trial on charges of plotting a coup following disputed 2005 polls which the ruling party won but the opposition claims were rigged.

The group included four journalists as well as Hailu Shawl and Bernahu Nega, two top members of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party.

They had refused to be defended in court and admitted responsibility for the unrest.

“The accused didn’t even express regret for their actions, which in itself is a crime under penal law,” Tetemke added.

Ethiopia has been criticised by international rights organisations over their detention, but Meles has rejected this and has called for no leniency.

A lawyer for the opposition members had voiced hope two weeks ago that the group’s admission that mistakes were made in the aftermath of the election results would help further their release.

The prosecutor said the next hearing would take place on July 16.

Earlier this year, the Ethiopian parliament approved a report which said 193 civilians and six policemen died during post-election violence in 2005 in one of the darkest chapters in the country’s recent past.

The violence in Addis Ababa and other cities in June and November 2005 “occured due to infancy of the democratic system of the country”, the report said.

The figures compiled by the inquiry were three times higher than the government’s official death toll of 54, prompting protests from Western donors.

Opposition groups dismissed the report as “baseless,” arguing that it failed to hold the state accountable for the bloody crackdown.

The two opposition figures’ health is believed to have deteriorated since their incarceration.

A Western diplomat in Addis Ababa said that the trial had to be completed before an eventual pardon or amnesty could be considered.

“Negotiations are probably under way but they are being kept very secret,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

(AFP)