On Monday, July 16th, the High Court of Ethiopia sentenced 35 opposition political leaders to life in prison on charges of trying to overthrow the government, inciting violence, and treason. The sentencing follows months of intense scrutiny over the handling of political prisoners by the Ethiopian government and judiciary.

Following general elections in 2005, two outbreaks of violence between Ethiopian opposition parties and the police resulted in thousands of arrests, approximately 800 injuries and nearly 200 deaths [1]. Opposition parties were protesting what they considered faulty and rigged election results which named incumbent Prime Minister Meles Zenawi as the winner. On July 9th, prosecutors demanded the death penalty for 38 opposition party leaders and journalists who were among the 131 people charged in December of 2005 with treason, inciting violence, and attempting to commit genocide [2]. The main governmental opposition is the Coalition for Unity (CUD) which won an unprecedented number of parliamentary seats in the election, yet failed to defeat the current government.

Ethiopia has been making strides towards democracy in recent decades. In 1994, Ethiopia adopted its Constitution which allows multi-party elections. Soon after, in 1995, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRRDF) took office. Despite these efforts, the country has a history of boycotts against elections by opposition parties who do not consider elections to be free, fair, and transparent. The situation in 2005 proved the dissatisfaction of many Ethiopians with the electoral system. While the elections, observed by the European Union, were named the most legitimate in recent history, the EU listed irregularities such as intimidation of opponents [3]. Following the months after the elections, two outbreaks of violence took place in the capital of Addis Ababa. Refusing to accept the election results as legitimate, supporters of the opposition protested and were met with police retaliation. Because of the many deaths and arrests that ensued, the government was under pressure to investigate police handling of the situation. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi expressed his regrets for the post-election violence, but blamed the incident on opportunistic rioters conspiring to overthrow his government [4].

On October 18, 2006, an independent Ethiopian inquiry team released a report announcing that Ethiopian police killed 193 civilians, mostly in the capital Addis Ababa. The number was nearly three times the official death toll reported by the government. Prime Minister Zenawi reportedly told the inquiry team to revise its report in July, two days before the group had planned to present its conclusions to the Ethiopian Parliament. At least two members of the 10-person board have since fled from Ethiopia [5]. Government intimidation of the inquiry team has led many human rights groups to conclude that the final report understated the extent of police brutality.

In the wake of the 2005 violence and arrests, the international community had mixed reactions. The police crackdown on political opposition has tarnished Ethiopian democratic credentials and prompted donors, including Britain and the European Union, to halt budgetary aid to Ethiopia [6]. This has been a setback in a heavily populated country dealing with extreme poverty. The US, which counts Ethiopia as an ally and usually praises the democratic process in the country, demanded the release of opposition leaders and urged the High Court of Ethiopia to follow its rule of law. 

Most of the opposition officials arrested in 2005 have been acquitted or received lesser sentencing. The 38 sentenced this week represent the leadership of the political opposition. All those sentenced to life imprisonment have been permanently deprived of the right to vote or run for office. The judges also decided to close three publishing businesses and fined each between $1,700 and $13,600 for their contribution in the 2005 protests [7]. While many feared the opposition leaders would be sentenced to death, life imprisonment still remains a questionable sentence for political opponents in a democratic political system.

The IIJD has been following the recent developments in Ethiopia. Freedom of speech is a necessary precondition for free, fair and transparent elections. Opposition parties must be able to campaign unhindered by governmental intimidation or threats. The IIJD urges the Ethiopian government to allow opposition media to operate and to refrain from punishing members of the press for reporting different political opinions. In order for the Ethiopian government to retain its legitimacy, it must do all in its power to ensure democratic elections as well as to honor election results. The independence of the judiciary and police from the executive branch of the government is an essential characteristic of a well-functioning justice system. Politicization of these two institutions stifles expression of alternative views and leads to corruption. The police force must act according to the rules set forth by the constitution of Ethiopia, rather than follow the political whims of the executive. Excessive force against civilians exercising their freedom to assemble, organize, and protest is a violation of international human rights. Only by adhering to their constitution can the Ethiopian government resume on its path towards creating a free, fair, and democratic nation.