Ethiopia terror convictions an 'affront' to free speech

Ethiopia terror convictions an ‘affront’ to
free speech

21 January, 2012 | Amnesty International
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The Ethiopian authorities must immediately release four
government critics and a former opposition supporter who have
been found guilty of terrorism charges on Thursday, Amnesty
International said today.

Journalists Reyot Alemu

and Woubshet Taye,

opposition party leader

Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher

and former opposition

supporter Hirut Kifle,

were found guilty on

terror and money

laundering charges. Journalist Elias Kifle, now based in the US,
was also found guilty in absentia.

"This is an affront to freedom of expression. The convictions are
yet another sign that individuals who hold different opinions,
represent different political parties or attempt to provide
independent commentary on political developments, are no longer
tolerated in Ethiopia," said Claire Beston, Amnesty International’s
Ethiopia researcher.

“There is no evidence that these three men and two women are
guilty of any criminal wrongdoing. We believe that the five are
prisoners of conscience, prosecuted because of their legitimate
work and peaceful activities and they should be released
immediately,” she added.

The five were found guilty on three charges: ‘Planning, Preparation
Conspiracy, Incitement and Attempt of Terrorist Act’,
Participation in a Terrorist Organisation’ and ‘Money Laundering’.

Journalists Woubshet Taye, Reyot Alemu and Elias Kifle have all
written articles critical of government policy and practice, while
Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher, the president of the Ethiopian National
Democratic Party, has written statements on behalf of his party
which were critical of the government.

Shortly before his arrest in June last year, the opposition leader
had also requested permission to stage a political rally on 28 May
in central Addis Ababa.

Hirut Kifle was jailed in 2007 for alleged involvement with an
armed group, while she was a supporter of the opposition
Coalition for Unity and Democracy, before being released by
Presidential pardon.

Much of the evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial
related to the defendants exercising their right to freedom of
expression and association. This included numerous articles
written by defendants,and even articles sent to them by other
people.

A substantial proportion of the evidence against the defendants
related to their reporting of, and alleged involvement in, the
appearance of the slogan Beka! (“Enough!”) in locations around
Addis Ababa in early 2011, as a call for peaceful protests against
the government to take place on 28 May.

"This focus of the prosecution's evidence illustrates that free
expression has been criminalised in this trial, and that criticising the
government is considered a crime," said Claire Beston.

The court and pre-trial proceedings were also marred by
numerous fair trial concerns. Both Woubshet Taye and Zerihun
Gebre-Egziabher complained in court that they were severely
beaten while held at Maikelawi detention centre in Addis Ababa,
which is infamous for the frequent use of torture against pre-trial
detainees. No investigations into these allegations have been
carried out.

Woubshet Taye and Reyot Alemu were both forced to reveal
their e-mail passwords during interrogation in Maikelawi.
Contents of the e-mail accounts were presented as evidence
against them in court. Woubshet Taye also complained that e-
mails from his account had been changed, and some were falsely
interpreted.

Reyot, Woubshet and Zerihun were denied access to family
members for the first month of their detention in Maikelawi and
were held in isolation cells during the initial stages of their
detention. Hirut Kifle was reportedly denied access to family
members for three months when she was first detained.

In October, Woubshet Taye and Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher were
informed that their visiting arrangements had changed. Since then,
visitors have only been permitted to visit the two men for ten
minutes per day.

Since March 2011 at least 107 opposition party members and
journalists have been arrested and charged with various offences
under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation and Criminal Code. Last
month two Swedish journalists were convicted of terrorism
offences and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment.

                                        Courtesy