Ethiopia charges 33 people for attempting to dismantle order

Tuesday 21 March 2006 00:07.

Mar 20, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian court charged 33 people with incitement to violence, they are “suspected of attempting to dismantle the constitutional order”, the state-run ENA reported .

In its charges submitted to the Second Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court on Monday, the prosecutor said the suspects accepted and acted up on the call made by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUDP), “bent on dismantling the constitutional order through force”.

Clashes between police and opposition supporters angered by the outcome of elections earlier this year left at least 46 people dead, drew international condemnation and raised questions about Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s commitment to democracy.

The violence began Nov. 1 after peaceful protests Oct. 31 over the disputed May 15 elections.

The charges state that the 33 suspects under the file of Tigineh Kifle have perpetrated the violence instigated in Addis Ababa beginning on November 1, 2006 by adhering to CUD’s call.

Several editors and publishers had gone into hiding since the government threatened to detain leaders of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association and reporters it accused of being mouthpieces for the main opposition party, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The prosecutor also charged another suspect named Solomon Aregawi Berhe for alleged incitement of the public to violence through his tabloid called Hadar.

According to the prosecutors charges, suspects listed from 1-17 have attempted to incite hostility among Ethiopian that advocate diverse political attitude.

The court ordered the police to bring two suspects who did not appear at the court during the particular session.

The court also ordered the prison to take to health institution three of the suspects who appealed to the court that they were hurt during investigation.

Though the suspects appealed for bail rights, the prosecutor requested the court not to grant them bail as their crimes are severe.

The tribunal adjourned the session to pass decision on the issue of the suspects bail rights and the objection from the prosecutor.

May 15 elections seen as a test of Prime Minister Zenawi Meles’ commitment to reform gave Meles’ Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front control of nearly two-thirds of parliament. Opposition parties say the vote and counting were marred by fraud, intimidation and violence, and accuse the ruling party of rigging the elections.

During November 2005 unrest, there were reports of a massive wave of arrests as federal police went from house to house, detaining young men. Since, police released more than 8200 people, but have yet to announce how many people were rounded up after security forces clashed with November demonstrators.

While the protests were sparked by the election dispute, many Ethiopians believe they reflect growing frustration over abject poverty in this nation of at least 70 million.

The vote gave Meles’s Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front control of nearly two-thirds of parliament. Opposition parties have accused the ruling party of rigging the vote, and said the election and vote count were marred by fraud, intimidation and violence.

(ST)