November 30/2007

DENIAL OF DUE PROCESS CONTINUES

Once again, the court, controlled by the EPRDF regime, has postponed the judgment day on the case of anti poverty activists Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie. The two were jailed along with the leaders of the CUD party who have now been relased after two years of detention.

 The postponment of the judgment date to November 30 was said to be because one of the judges was absent.The new postponemnt to December 24 on the basis of yet another flimsy reason cannot hide the fact that this often used tactic on the part of the regime is a ploy to deny the accused due process and to keep them behind bars for months and months if not years. Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie are behind bars on false charges and should have been released two years ago. The regime is taking vengeance on them because the two refused to sign an affidavit asking for pardon  from the regime. They have rightfully claimed that they committed no crime and cannot be asked to beg for a pardon from the very regime that has been accusd of murdering dozens of innocent people at the same time it was imprisoning them.

 The act of postponing the judgment day time and again is an often used tactic of the State controlled courts that violate the basic rights of the prisoners. Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie are political prisoners who should be released without any delay. SOCEPP demands their immediate release from the Kaliti prison and calls on world-wide human right groups to do the same.

SOCEPP