Friday, July 13, 2012

Ethiopians in Sweden condemned today's Conviction against Eskinder Nega et al.


Nearly hundreds of Ethiopians residing in Sweden and friends of Ethiopia staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Ethiopian Consulate here in Stockholm early this afternoon to condemn Meles Zenaw's kangaroo court ruling which convicted prominent blogger Eskinder Nega, opposition party leader Andualem Arage and 22 other innocent Ethiopians at home and abroad who were charged with dubious terrorism charges and treason. According to AFP, an Ethiopian court on Friday jailed a journalist for 18 years for "terrorism" and 23 others, reporters and activists, for between eight years and life, after a trial condemned by rights groups. The protesters demanded all Ethiopian & Swedish journalists who are languishing for the crimes they didn't commit at the infamous Kality prison, to be released immediately and unconditionally. The demonstrators chanted slogans which depict their solidarity with all prisoners of conscious held under the guise of Ethiopia's infamous "anti-terrorism" Law. Mesfine Negash who sought asylum in Sweden and one of the 24 defendants who was sentenced to 8years at today's trial said that he was neither shocked nor surprised for being sentenced since there's no rule of law in Ethiopia. He further said, Ethiopians at home and abroad should show their solidarity with today's victims of miscarriage of justice and thousands of Ethiopians who're being incarcerated by the ruling party. He said Ethiopia has become a prison state and Ethiopians should strengthen their peaceful struggle to reclaim their birth rights. The protesters displayed PCs, cameras, pens, note pads, recorders and other materials which symbolizes freedom of expression which they believed are being under constant threat by the Ethiopian regime.

PS: I must thank my fellow compatriot who borrowed me his camera to take these pictures as mine was destroyed beyond recognition by SL's angry bus-driver on July 10th 2012.  

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