Five Ethiopian bloggers on Friday were acquitted of terrorism charges relating to publications on their website [Zone9, in Amharic]. They are Soliana Shimelis, a law professional who is now in exile, Atnaf Berhane, an IT professional, Befeqadu Hailu of St. Mary’s University college, Abel Wabella of Ethiopian Airlines, and Natnail Feleke, a trained economist who was working for the construction and business bank of Ethiopia.
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The bad news is that despite this welcome, long overdue judgment, at day’s end all four were still in detention.
“We also call on the judicial authorities to pursue their reasoning to its logical conclusion and to drop the remaining charge against the last blogger still held” said Cléa Kahn-Sriber, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa desk.
Amnesty worldwide on Saturday said the acquittal of a few Ethiopian bloggers members of the “Zone 9” group should not be taken as victory for freedom of expression to the horn of Africa’s nation.
The fourth blogger, Befeakdu Hailu, was also acquitted of terrorism charges but will be charged for inciting violence, according to enca. Ameha said although the terrorism charges against him were dropped, he still faces charges of incitement.
The case became a rallying point for critics of Ethiopia’s government, which has been accused of stifling free speech.
“I have a bittersweet feeling – they spent a year and six months in prison for doing nothing, we spent a year and three months for nothing”, said journalist Tesfalem Waldyes, who was released from prison in July, but came back to court to hear the verdict on Friday. “This absurd, this whole thing is absurd”.
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Internationals rights body Human Rights Watch slammed the Ethiopian government, saying that today’s judgment “cannot reverse the months in prison that these nine people have lost for no good reason”.
