Two prominent human rights activists have been charged with attempting
to change the constitutional order
of Ethiopia by force, the
pro-government Walta Information Centre has reported. Professor Mesfin
Woldemariam, former head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council
(EHRCO), and Dr Berhanu Nega, head of the non-governmental Ethiopian
Economic Association, were also charged with being members of an
unlawful clandestine organisation, Walta said.
The two academics have been detained since 8 May in connection with
April’s student unrest in Addis Ababa. They are accused of
making inflammatory remarks
, aimed at dividing students along
ethnic lines during a lecture at Addis Ababa University, and inciting
them to riot. Both men pleaded not guilty
to the charges. The
Federal High Court has been adjourned until 1 June to consider the
defendants’ applications for bail.
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