Ethiopia hands lengthy prison terms to Muslim activists

Ethiopia hands lengthy prison terms to Muslim activists
BBC
August 4, 2015

We the editors of Ethiomedia would voluntarily testify to the world that the speech by Kamil Shemsu, one of the jailed leaders, at a mosque in Addis Ababa in 2012 is clearly non-violent. In fact, the articulate speaker should have been commended for orienting the public along non-violent course that their demand is for the respect of their constitutional right that the Majlis (council) should be elected by the people, not imposed by the ruling party. The charges that the Muslim leaders are terrorists is another evidence that the regime is the number one cause of unrest in Ethiopia. The prison terms handed to innocent Ethiopian Muslims would undoubtedly fuel the struggle for justice. We believe Ethiopians of other faiths as well, who are enduring untold repression, will stand by the side of their Muslim compatriots as the quest for justice continues. – Abraha Belai, Chief Editor of Ethiomedia.com

A court in Ethiopia has sentenced 18 Muslims, including clerics and a journalist, to up to 22 years in prison under controversial anti-terrorism legislation.The 18 were convicted last month on charges including terrorism and conspiracy to create an Islamic state.

They were arrested three years ago over protests against alleged government interference in religious affairs.

Ethiopia’s government has often been accused of stifling dissent.

It denies the allegation.

BBC Africa Live: News updates

Some rights groups criticised US President Barack Obama for visiting the country last month, warning that it could lend credibility to a government accused of jailing journalists and critics.

Mr Obama called on the government to improve it record on human rights, while praising it as an “outstanding partner” in the fight against militant Islamists in neighbouring Somalia.

Ethiopia’s privately owned Addis Standard publication reports on its website that four of the defendants – Abubakar Ahmed, Ahmedin Jebel, Yasin Nuru and Kemal Shemsu – were sentenced to 22 years each in prison.

The other 14 received sentences ranging from seven years to 18 years, it reports.

The state-run EBC television station said their sentences would run from when they were first detained.

The group denied the charges and said they had been mistreated during their detention.

A section of Ethiopia’s Muslim community staged protests in 2011 and 2012 over several issues, including allegations that the government was interfering in the choice of the main religious body, the Islamic Supreme Council.

The government denied the allegation.

Ethiopia is a mainly Coptic Christian country, with a minority Muslim population.

Ethiopia’s ruling EPRDF coalition, led by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, won all parliamentary seats in elections in May.

The opposition said the poll was rigged.

Leave a Reply