Ethiopian opposition mulls defence in treason trial

ADDIS ABABA, Apr 30 (Reuters) Ethiopian opposition members accused of treason for their role in protests after 2005 elections said they were mulling a defence, after boycotting participation in a case they say is politically motivated.

Twenty-one defendants, who have been in jail for more than a year, said they wanted to review the evidence against them before deciding whether to mount a defence as ordered by the judge.

''We ask the court to make available to us documents of the court's decision ... and testimony of the witnesses for the prosecution to review the gravity of our case and decide whether to defend ourselves,'' defendant Abaynieh Alemu told the court.

Judge Adil Ahmed said he would decide by Wednesday. Chief prosecutor Shimeles Kemal objected to the defence move.

When the trial started last year, many defendants complained they had been denied access to their lawyers and refused to enter pleas.

In a case that has outraged human rights groups, 131 opposition leaders, journalists and civil society activists were charged in December 2005 with treason, inciting violence and attempting to commit genocide.

The charges followed two separate outbreaks of violence in which nearly 200 people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces over 2005 general election results, which the opposition says were rigged.

A report to Ethiopia's parliament said 30,000 people were detained in the mayhem.

The crackdown tarnished Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's democratic credentials and prompted donors, including Britain and the European Union, to halt direct budgetary aid to sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous nation.

Meles, who denied vote-rigging accusations, has said the opposition incited the violence to overthrow his government.

Of 131 people first charged, 45 have now been acquitted and 36 are being tried in absentia.

REUTERS JS RAI2015