JUNE 11/2007

A HORRIBLE TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE IN ETHIOPIA

The EPRDF regime in Ethiopia has  convicted some 38 opposition leaders and a number of journalists and publishers and declared that they aill be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 years to life (and possibly to death also) within a month. This is one more proof of the travesty of justice that characterizes the Meles Zenawi regime.

 The Opposition leaders (most of them from the CUDP) were jailed illegally since the regime lost the May 2005 election to the Opposition. Railroaded through the kangaroo courts of the regime, the accused were charged with rebellion, treason and even genocide in a balatant attempt to deny due process and the rule of law. Journalists were also accused of inciting rebellion, spreading inflammatory propaganda ,defamation,etc just because they reported the truth and exposed the fact that the regime had lost the lections. The Meles regime massacred more than 200 peaceful demonstrators in June 2005 when they demonstrated against the vote rigging and fraud. Editors of Ethiop,Asqual, Abay and Satenaw magazines have also been convicted and the publishers of Ethiop,Addis Zena and Asqual/Menilik/Satenaw face huge fines or the dissolution of their companies.

What has happened is a horrible travesty of justice. The sentencing within a month is expected to be merciless while it remains illegal. The ruling front controls the judiciary in Ethiopia jsut as it controls the army, the security apparatus, the media. The whole trial and process has also highlighted the ethnic discrimination and policy of vengeance that the regime practices  routinely. More than 35,000 prisoners opposed to the illegal regime and its vote rigging are aslo suffering in Zwai,Dedesa and other concentration camps without any due process of law. The elected representatievs of the people are behind bars and facing stiff sentences while the defeated group is in power and mcoking at justice. It is sad to note that Washington still stands on the side of this illegal regime and against the rights of the Ethiopian people.

 SOCEPP calls on the world at large to condemn the mockery of justice being perpetrated by the Meles Zenawi regime. All political prisoners must be freed without any precondition. The regime may sentence the leaders of the opposition to long prison terms but it is sure that in the end the prison walls will come tumbling down. The struggle in Ethiopia for the respect of human rights and the rule of law will continue.

SOCEPP