SOUTH AFRICA: Amnesty report calls genocide charges absurd, writes Joe Humphreys in Pretoria
International donors are being urged to use their influence to secure the "immediate and unconditional" release of more than 100 opposition politicians, journalists and other dissidents who go on trial in Addis Ababa this week for treason.
In a hard-hitting report published today to coincide with the formal opening of the trial, Amnesty International has described as absurd the levelling of a charge of genocide against the dissidents, many of whom could face the death penalty if found guilty. A total of 111 defendants have been listed for trial, including 25 exiled Ethiopians who are being tried in absentia, four political parties and six newspaper publishing companies.
Many of the defendants have been in prison for almost a year under harsh conditions, and at least one is in poor health after a hunger strike.
The group was rounded up following street protests over prime minister Meles Zenawi's contentious victory in the May 2005 elections. On June 8th last at least 36 protesters were shot dead in demonstrations led by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), which had cited evidence of vote-rigging.
The defendants are accused of a combination of offences, from plotting a Rwanda-like genocide and armed conspiracy to "outrages against the constitution".
"This very worrying trial has major implications for human rights, media freedom and democratisation in Ethiopia," said Kolawole Olaniyan, director of Amnesty's Africa programme. "It will be a crucial test of the independence and impartiality of the Ethiopian judiciary."
Among those on trial are the leaders of the CUD, the founder of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, civil society activists, trade unionists, and a former UN special envoy and Rwandan genocide prosecutor.
In its report, Prisoners of Conscience on Trial for Treason, Amnesty said human rights abuses should not be tolerated for reasons of expediency.
"While international and regional security issues in the Horn of Africa are a special concern of the international community, such as achieving a permanent settlement of the border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and certain aspects of the so-called 'war on terror' affecting the countries bordering on Somalia . . . vigorous action is needed to promote and protect basic human rights in each country of the Horn in order to achieve lasting peace and security in the whole region."
Amnesty said governments should take several actions, including opposing the use of the death penalty, monitoring the treatment of prisoners and demanding the rights to freedom of expression and opinion.
The trial is set to fuel further debate about whether western governments should be financially supporting Ethiopia, one of the world's poorest countries.
Four months ago, the UK ended unconditional aid to Ethiopia because of human rights concerns. Irish Aid, the government's development aid arm, spends about €30 million a year in Ethiopia.