The Federal High Court yesterday ruled that the prosecutor had presented enough evidence showing Professor Mesfin Woldemariam had instigated students to riot in April 2001 and ordered him to defend the case. If he is found guilty after the defense, he will serve long prison term.
Professor Mesfin and Brehanu Nega were arrested in April 2001 after Addis Ababa University students demonstrated, calling for more academic freedom. The public prosecutor charged them of forming illegal party; and instigating students for uprising. Professor Mesfin's Ethiopian Human Rights Council had organized a discussion on Academic rights for Addis Ababa University students prior to the demonstration. Both were speakers in the discussion. The prosecutor argued that they instigated violence by telling students to fight for their academic rights. Both have been appearing in court even since.
Brehanu Nega was cleared of both charges by the court. Professor Mesfin was told to defend the second charge. Professor Mesfin is famous for his advocacy of non-violence and individual rights.
Courts in Ethiopia have become government agents in stifling free speech in the country.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
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5 comments:
Lets not worry what TPLF does in her Kngaroo court. We must NOT be overcome by her craze, we have to wait for the best time to bring all our concerted force once and blow her off the face of Ethiopia all together. Today, she has the most powerful country on her side supplying her with money. This most powerful country must realize that they are pumpering a minority corrupt illegal regime while suppressing the majority of Ethiopians who are democratic and asking for more human freedom and government accountability.
We know God is with us, we also know that TPLF is sucking on Satans sugarcane. Whic, by the way will be tastless soon.
The Tplf Kangaroo court is known for its politically motivated ruling. Professor Mesfin is a prominent human rights advocate and defender. The US administration with its narrow policy of "fighting terrorism" is giving the Tplf regime money, political and moral support. They did it with Mobutu, Samuel Doe, etc. With the faulty information from Tplf, the Bush admin. invaded Somalia. Somalia is back to anarchy now. The narrow policy of the US admin. in the Horn of Africa will backfire sooner than later.
The current elite has burned all the possible oportunity
of building a democractic,and peacefull Ethiopia through it's own incompetence.The crises it has originated has its own dinamics.It is now out side the controll of T.P.L.F. It will gather its own momuntum until it blowes fully in the face Melese and his coligues.Professor Mesiefn unequvocally has put it this way."we want to foreget about the past and go the South African
way." In stating this he was not merely speaking his own views ,but voicing the opinion of the majority of Ethiopians.We leave this for the current rulers and wish them a happy ending.
It is by now a public secret the Prof. Mesfin W.M. is a manipulating smooth customer who keeps changing his approach not unlike a chameleon. What is he and what was he and what has he always been? What did he do now, before and always? Human rights advocate? Give me a break. A discount politician riding on any available bandwagon? May be? A tribal father? Yes, definitely and emphatically, to the extent of making Radovan Karadjic look like a benevolent Sunday school teacher, thus giving ethnic cleansers a bad reputation.
For those of you who keep using the term kangaroo courts of Ethiopia, let me remind you kangaroos belong to australia. Please show some respect for your own country's court, just as you would for the courts of the country in which you reside. Our courts are no more kangaroo courts than your warped and distorted version of a poorly understood Jeffersonian democracy is a hyena democracy. If we are to maintain civility, then be advised and desist from mud throwing.
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