Ethiopian Court Jails Journalists, Opposition Leader
An Ethiopian court on Thursday handed out heavy jail sentences to five people on terrorism charges, including three journalists and an opposition leader, with one receiving a life term.
"The court sentenced every one of them, from 14 years to life in prison," one of the case's public prosecutors told Agence France Presse, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Rights groups condemned the sentences, with Amnesty International calling for the immediate release of those convicted.
US-based journalist Elias Kifle was sentenced in absentia to life in prison, while two other journalists, Woubshet Taye and Reeyot Alemu, were given 14-year terms.
Opposition leader Zerahun Gebrezabier was sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Hirut Kifle, accused of having links to Elias, received 19 years.
Elias runs the U.S.-based online Ethiopian Review, while Woubshet was the editor-in-chief of the now defunct Awramba Times. Reeyot is a well-known Ethiopian columnist.
All five were found guilty last Friday of participating in a "terrorist organization and planning a terrorist act".
"They passed the punishment according to criminal law and the anti-terror proclamation," the prosecutor said.
Reeyot's father protested at the sentence.
"The conviction was not fair, it was not according to the law or the defenses submitted to the court," Alemu Gobebo Reeyot said.
The five were charged under Ethiopia's anti-terror law, which rights groups have accused of being vague and far-reaching.
"There is no evidence that they are guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," Amnesty's Ethiopia researcher Claire Beston said in a statement.
"We believe that they are prisoners of conscience, prosecuted because of their legitimate criticism of the government. They must be released immediately and unconditionally."
In December, two Swedish journalists were found guilty on terror charges after they were arrested with members of an outlawed group. They were sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Ethiopia has one of the most restricted media in the world and the highest number of journalists living in exile, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Source: Agence France Presse
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