afrol News, 9 July - An Ethiopian prosecutor, Prosecutor Abraham Tetemke, has asked the Addis Ababa court to impose the death penalty on 38 members of the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) who were found guilty of violating the constitution and inciting violence against the government on 11 June.

The prosecutor, who argued that the opposition had attempted to bring down the government during the violent election protests in 2005, filed the death penalty request before the court on Monday. The court is expected to deliver its verdict on 16 July.

The convicted opposition activists, who had been appearing without attorneys, were in court today, but chose not to respond to the prosecution's request.

Those facing trial involve the elected lawmakers of the capital Addis Ababa. The elected Mayor of Addis Ababa, Berhanu Negga, is also facing trial.

The CUD members were convicted after their refusal to recognise the court. The court was adjourned to allow the convicts to respond to the prosecutor's request.

They were among hundreds of activists of the opposition, civil society and journalists arrested in connection with the bloody anti-government strikes in protest against the May 2005 legislative polls results, resulting to the death of 199 people.

In early June, 55 other members of CUD were charged with conspiracy to bring the government of Meles Zenawi down. 131 opposition activists had been sentenced on charges of high treason and genocide.

Ethiopia's mistreatment of its critics has attracted international condemnation, with the European Union suspending aid to the country in December last year.

At some point, the judge halted the proceedings and asked the police to escort a laughing woman out. She laughed at the prosecutor's demands.

Opposition members had blamed the government for the bloody events because most of the victims were protesters who were killed by armed security forces. An inquiry into the incident has indicted the police for carrying out a massacre.

Ethiopian government has maintained that it would not interfere with the trial. But the signing of a document by the relatives of the convicts has opened the gate of clemency because most people see the move as a plea for mercy.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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