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By Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil
Addis Ababa, December 26, 2020 – Five defendants in the file of Eskinder Nega, founder of the opposition party Balederas por la Democracia Genuina, pleaded not guilty after prosecutors presented revised charges in the Federal Superior Court, the Lideta Section, the First Constitutional and Anti-terrorist Chamber.
However, the federal judges proceeded with the decision to begin the hearing of witnesses within four months from now, on April 7, 8, 21, 22, 26, 27, 29, as well as May 4 and 6. of 2021.
The trial was held after judges examined the prosecutor’s review following the ruling of the last hearing ordering prosecutors to clarify two points. One of the two points that the judges ordered the prosecutors to clarify was to identify the social media posts that the defendants were accused of posting to incite violence, while the second was to indicate the place where the 4th The defendant was charged with giving instructions to the young man as indicated in the initial charge. In light of this, prosecutors reviewed the charges, which were read aloud in court blaming the defendants’ use of various quotes on social media; also accused the 4th the accused Askale Demissie of giving instructions to young people in the Tor Hayiloch area of the capital.
Subsequently, judges have ruled that the defendants will plead guilty or not guilty based on the revised charge. The first defendant, Eskinder Nega, said he did not commit the act and pleaded not guilty, adding that the accusation was politically motivated. Similarly, the 2North Dakota The defendant, Sintayehu Chekol, also a high-ranking member of Balderas, pleaded not guilty, adding that they were arrested “because we plan to participate in the elections.”
After pleading not guilty, on 3rd The defendant, Keleb Seyoum, told the judges that she was sentenced in the past to four years in prison simply because of your political opinions and without any evidence, and that your current case is no different from the past. “The prosecutor is the government’s puppet, that’s why they accuse me,” Keleb said, a comment that the prosecutor immediately dismissed as “inappropriate comment” that should merit his charges of “contempt of court”; the judges rejected the request for contempt of court, but warned Keleb not to repeat those emotional comments.
Askale Demise, the 4th accused in the record, she pleaded not guilty and said she was “a government employee, and my supervisor said that I cannot oppose the government. The government just stopped us, “he added. The 5th defendant Getnet Bekele also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Shortly after the judges adjourned the hearing of witnesses, the court was filled with murmurs of disgust from the families and supporters of the defendants who opposed the ruling.
Eskinder told the judges that the appointments awarded were long established and should be brought closer because among the defendants were candidates from his party ready to run in the upcoming elections. The judges annulled the request due to lack of time to accommodate their cases in a short period of time and postponed the first hearing of witnesses until April 7, 2021.
It should be remembered that on December 8, the judges ruled against the request of federal prosecutors to testify behind a curtain. Prosecutors asked witnesses to testify behind a curtain fearing “for their safety” and the testimony that would be made under witness protection provisions; But the defense team has objected to the notion, arguing that defendants have no way of knowing whether witnesses were reading a script. After weighing the arguments presented by both parties, the judges have dismissed the prosecutors’ request alleging that it would violate the rights of the accused. AS
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