Ethiopia: Prosecutors present media interview clips as evidence of “terror”  against prominent dissents

Bekele Gerba

ESAT News (February 17, 2017)

Unable to present witnesses on a bogus terrorism charge against opposition political prisoners, Ethiopian regime prosecutors presented to the 4th criminal bench in Addis Ababa video clips and speeches made by Bekele Gerba, a leading member of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), detained for over a year now.

The video clips presented by the prosecutor were found to be rather exonerating to the accused as Bekele Gerba was seen in the clip speaking at an Oromo association about the importance of non violent struggle.

Another video clip shows Gerba’s interview on ESAT in which he was simply speaking about the peaceful protests by the people of Oromo that rocked the nation for over a year.

Gerba and scores of other members and leaders of the OFC were put behind bars at the height of the the anti-government protests in the Oromo region in which at least 700 people were killed, according to conservative estimates by rights groups.

Gerba had served 4 years in prison on a separate cooked up terrorism charges before his rearrest a year ago.

The court is adjourned until Monday to see other video clips presented by the prosecutors.