ESAT News (February 6, 2017)
A court in Addis Ababa sentenced six former officers with the Ethiopian air force to prison terms ranging from 3 to 6 years convicting them of terrorism and other charges.
The charge brought by the regime says the officers were caught in Bahir Dar and Gondar three years ago while heading to Eritrea to join Patriotic Ginbot 7, an armed group operating from Eritrea. The charge accused the officers of having links to opposition armed groups operating in the area conspiring to carry out acts of terrorism. The defendants deny all the trumped-up charges.
Lieutenant Masresha Sete, Lt. Biruk Atnaye, Lt. Daniel Girma, Lt. Gezahegn Dires, Tesfaye Eshete and Seifu Girma told the courts during their trial that prison officers have been denying them family visitation, food and other basic necessities. They have also said they were kept in dark cells for days on end.
The Ethiopian regime routinely charges its opponents and critics of terrorism and conspiracy to violate the constitutional order. Several members of opposition political parties, activists and journalists remain in jail accused of trumped up terrorism and other charges.