(2012-01-12, Stockholm News)--The chance that the Swedish journalist Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, convicted of terrorist crimes in Ethiopia, get pardoned is small, according to Ethiopian law professor Wondwossen Demissie. The reason is the lack of precedent, he says in an interview with news agency Reuters.
“I can not recall any cases where people convicted of terrorist crimes have been pardoned.” The controversial subject may be if a terrorist offence is counted as a crime against humanity or not.
Under Ethiopian law, pardon does not occur at crimes included in this group, such as genocide and torture. “If the terrorism offence is seen as a crime against humanity, then a pardon is excluded,” says Demissie, adding that there is no consensus if terrorist offences is counted as such or not.
Several observers have previously said they believe that the Swedes will get pardoned if they apply. However, foreign diplomats in Addis Ababa have given Reuters another picture. According to them, to pardon the Swedes would pose a dilemma for the Ethiopian authorities, this since several domestic journalists have been convicted on similar grounds.
Reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson were arrested in July after they entered Ethiopia's Ogaden province from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region with the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group fighters. On 27 December they were sentenced to 11 years in prison each for helping and promoting ONLF, and entering the country illegally.
Source: Stockholm News
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“I can not recall any cases where people convicted of terrorist crimes have been pardoned.” The controversial subject may be if a terrorist offence is counted as a crime against humanity or not.
Under Ethiopian law, pardon does not occur at crimes included in this group, such as genocide and torture. “If the terrorism offence is seen as a crime against humanity, then a pardon is excluded,” says Demissie, adding that there is no consensus if terrorist offences is counted as such or not.
Several observers have previously said they believe that the Swedes will get pardoned if they apply. However, foreign diplomats in Addis Ababa have given Reuters another picture. According to them, to pardon the Swedes would pose a dilemma for the Ethiopian authorities, this since several domestic journalists have been convicted on similar grounds.
Reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson were arrested in July after they entered Ethiopia's Ogaden province from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region with the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group fighters. On 27 December they were sentenced to 11 years in prison each for helping and promoting ONLF, and entering the country illegally.
Source: Stockholm News
Related topics:
Jailed Swedish journalists in Ethiopia will not appeal verdict
Ethiopia jails Swedish journalists on terror charges
Swedes convicted over Ethiopian rebel links
Ethiopia to continue trial against Swedish journalists on terror charges
Ethiopia: Swedish journalists are 'messenger boys of a terrorist organization'
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