May 2/2006

The regime in Addis Ababa opened today, under heavy guard, the so called trial for genocide and treason of dozens of journalists and leaders of the opposition CUD party. The accused had been languishing in the Kaliti prison ever since the Meles Zenawi regime rigged the results of the May 15/2005 election (which it lost), imposed martial law, shot dozens of demonstrators and protesters dead and imprisoned more than 50,000 people in the Dededsa, Bir Sheleko, Zwai, Shoa Robit and other concentration camps.

The trial today closed by being postponed for Monday with the prosecutor alleging that he ahs videos and human witnesses to prove his case. One of the accused told the court the mistreatment that they had to endure (solitary confinement in dark cells, etc) and the journalists of the free press detained illegally also informed the court that their properties have been ransacked and taken away by the security forces of the regime. In Ethiopia, the independence of the judiciary remains n illusion and everyone knows that the final decision will be taken by none other than Prime Minister Meles Zenawi himself. The truth is that accused are being railroaded with the discreet approval of foreign circles who refrain from calling for the unconditional release of the detained but refer to speedy and "fair" trial in a country where due process of law and the rule of law have been absent for long.

The Ethiopian people know that jailed journalists are innocent of all the charges against them and they were merely exercising their duties of informing the public. The accused CUDP leaders did not resort to violence, did not conspire, and were not involved in any genocide or treason. On the contrary, the accusation fits the accusers specially the ruling party officials who did commit massacres in Arbagugu, Adebabye Iyesus, Gambella, Arka, etc… The ongoing trial can neither be fair or just, it is an official vendetta by the group that was resoundingly defeated in an election.

SOCEPP condemns the ongoing farce of a trial and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the CUDP leaders and the journalists of the free press.