The Ethiopian government is looking into pardon requests filed by dozens of opposition members whose heavy jail terms drew a barrage of international criticism, a senior official said on Tuesday.
”The government received the request for pardon by the detainees almost three weeks ago,” Bereket Simon, a spokesperson in the prime minister’s office, said.
”They ask the government of Ethiopia and the people to pardon them,” he said.
On Monday, Ethiopia’s high court slapped heavy jail terms, including 35 life sentences, on a group of opposition members accused of fomenting rebellion following disputed 2005 polls.
Those sentenced in the wake of violence that rocked the capital during the 2005 elections included Hailu Shawl and Bernahu Nega, two senior leaders of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party, and four journalists.
Bereket said their appeals had been passed on to the pardon board, adding that the final decision was down to President Girma Woldegiorgis.
The United States, a key supporter of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s regime, urged the state to show clemency.
”As a matter of trying to bring together the Ethiopian people and bring an end to this particular chapter of political turmoil, we would urge the Ethiopian authorities to consider — strongly consider — clemency for these individuals,” State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said.
Several rights and media watchdogs lashed out at Ethiopia over the sentences, describing them as outrageous and further evidence of the regime’s repressive policies. — AFP
