ESAT News (May 4, 2016)
The kangaroo courts of the tyrannical regime in Ethiopia continued insistently on hearing trumped up charges of terrorism brought against opposition politicians despite deep concern and condemnation by the international community and rights groups against the concocted charges by the government.
Former member of the Blue Party, Yonatan Tesfaye was charged with terrorism on Wednesday for writing and posting on his Facebook page about the protest in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.
Berahnu Tekleyared, Fikremariam Asmamaw and Eyrusalem Tesfaw, all former members of the Blue Party were brought to court on Wednesday to hear from their witnesses. Police and the prison administration however failed to bring the witnesses the defendants requested to testify. The three were caught in March 2015 while they were heading to the country’s northern border to join armed opposition groups, a charge they never deny because, according to them, all paths to peaceful political struggle in Ethiopian has been completely blocked by the tyrannical regime.
The three defendants requested high profile political prisoners, officials of the regime and other prominent individuals to come to court and testify. The Police did not bring any of the witnesses on Wednesday’s hearing.
The Ethiopian government routinely charges journalists and opposition politicians with terrorism in a bid to silence any criticism to its iron fist rule.