Event Summary:
- August 3rd, 2015- an Ethiopian court sentenced four leaders of a Muslim group, a journalist (Yesuf Getachew) and 13 other people to heavy jail terms for the charges of incitement and terrorism.
- The sentenced people have been in police custody for three years and their jail terms range between 7 and 22.
Analysis:
An Ethiopian court on Monday August 3rd sentenced several Muslim activists two long terms in jails following their arrests in anti-terrorism roundup in 2012. The sentenced have remained in police custody for the past three years and they are all Muslims.
In 2011, Ethiopian Muslims protested against what they referred to as the government’s interference in the Islam religion affairs. In October 2012 under the anti-terror proclamation Muslims especially from the Ethiopia’s Muslims’ Arbitration Committee were arrested and charged at the country’s federal court for the crimes of plotting acts of terrorism.
Four of the sentenced; Uztaz Abubeker Ahmed, Ahemedin Jebel, Yasin Nuru and Kemil Shemsu all members of the Ethiopia’s Muslims’ Arbitration Committee were each sentenced to 22 years in prison for the crimes of incitement and terrorism.
Five of the defendants received each 18 year-sentences, five others 15-year sentences while Yesuf Getachew and three others received each 7-year terms.
Summary:
Following the sentencing, Muslims in Ethiopia have expressed the discontent with the ruling citing the injustice and the innocence of their indicted leaders. The Muslims in Ethiopia which has among the highest Muslim population in Africa have during the entire trial period conduced peaceful non-violent protests and disciplined sit-ins.
The standoff that has existed between the current regime and the Muslim population in Ethiopia has could take a turn for worst unless the government gets on the hold of the crisis. The Muslims in Ethiopia are looking to explore indigenous methods to deal with the crisis of the country is religiously diverse.
The sentencing of the radical leaders is a very crucial move to help deal with violent extremism especially putting the demographic factors and geographical positioning of the country close to the Al Shabaab habitat- Somalia.
