ETHIOPIA:Ethiopian prosecutors have called for the death penalty for 38 opposition politicians and activists convicted of inciting violence following disputed general elections two years ago.
The defendants include the mayor-elect of Addis Ababa and several MPs from the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, which accused the ruling party of the prime minister Meles Zenawi of rigging the vote.
In the ensuing mass protests, government forces killed 193 civilians, injured nearly 800 and arrested tens of thousands of people, including most opposition leaders. The crackdown was widely condemned abroad and led to cuts in donor aid.
During their 14-month trial, the 38 accused refused to mount a defence, claiming that a fair hearing was impossible. When the prosecution case ended last month, the federal high court judge found all of the defendants guilty of "outrages against the constitution".
In requesting capital punishment, Abraham Tetemke, a prosecutor, said they had tried to "disintegrate the nation" and had shown no regret for their actions. "They have created violence and many people lost their lives . . . This criminal act caused a serious social crisis," he said.
But even if the judge agrees when passing sentence next week, it is highly unlikely the defendants will be hanged. The last execution in Ethiopia occurred in 1998. And opposition supporters and diplomats following the trial are hopeful that the government may offer clemency.
Mr Zenawi maintains that he cannot interfere in the judicial process but the government can grant a pardon or an amnesty after sentencing.
Reports from Addis Ababa suggest the defendants have signed a document in which they issue an apology in exchange for freedom.
They include Prof Mesfin Woldemariam, the 76-year-old founder of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, and Dr Yakob Hailemariam, a former UN war crimes prosecutor, both described as prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International.
Several other election-related trials involving opposition politicians, journalists and civil society activists are ongoing. - ( Guardian service)