(January 10, 2012, Stockholm News)--The two Swedish journalists which are sentenced for supporting terrorism in Ethiopia have decided not to appeal the verdict. They will instead attempt to initiate a pardoning process. They were sentenced to 11 years on prison in December.
The Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson have decided not to appeal the Ethiopian court's verdict of 11 years in prison for entering the country illegally and supporting terrorism. This means that in order to be released from the Kality prison in Addis Abeba, the two journalists is now depending on the political process rather than the juridical.
The deadline to appeal the verdict was three pm today (10 January 2012). Schybbye and Persson waited with a possible appeal in order to give the Ethiopian prosecutor as little time as possible to prepare an appeal. Experts on Ethiopia have recommended the journalists to opt for a pardoning process instead of appealing the sentence.
An appeal would mean a new juridical process which could take up to two years time and the possibility for another verdict is still extremely low. Their contact person Anna Roxvall says to daily Dagens Nyheter (DN) that this was a carefully prepared decision.
"They have been making up lists for and against. They have also consulted people who know how the Ethiopian system works. And it is a decision that family and friends support. We think it is a good decision," Roxwall says to DN. "When they will submit their letter of pardon, they will again consult people who are familiar with the Ethiopian legal system", Roxvall continues.
"There is a tradition of pardon and forgiveness in Ethiopia"
The two two journalists motivated their decision in a short and concise written statement: "There is a tradition of pardon and forgiveness in Ethiopia and we choose to trust in this tradition", they wrote. It is now for the Swedish journalists to formulate a letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi according to Dagens Nyheter.
In a pardoning process, the Ethiopian President is the formal decision-maker but in pratctice it is the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who decides in this issue. A special pardoning commission will prepare the issue. This group is called "the eldest group" and consists according to Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) of Ethiopians with "international experience".
According to SvD several commentators on the issue judge that this group will choose a line of conciliation which means that the Swedes have good chances of being released relatively soon. The government of Sweden has no possibility of influencing this case as the relations with the Ethiopian regime are "very bad". Informal contacts seem instead to be the strategy.
Source: Stockholm News
Related topics:
Ethiopia jails Swedish journalists on terror charges
Swedes convicted over Ethiopian rebel links
Ethiopia to continue trial against Swedish journalists on terror charges
Swedish journalists apologize
Ethiopia: Swedish journalists are 'messenger boys of a terrorist organization'
The Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson have decided not to appeal the Ethiopian court's verdict of 11 years in prison for entering the country illegally and supporting terrorism. This means that in order to be released from the Kality prison in Addis Abeba, the two journalists is now depending on the political process rather than the juridical.
The deadline to appeal the verdict was three pm today (10 January 2012). Schybbye and Persson waited with a possible appeal in order to give the Ethiopian prosecutor as little time as possible to prepare an appeal. Experts on Ethiopia have recommended the journalists to opt for a pardoning process instead of appealing the sentence.
An appeal would mean a new juridical process which could take up to two years time and the possibility for another verdict is still extremely low. Their contact person Anna Roxvall says to daily Dagens Nyheter (DN) that this was a carefully prepared decision.
"They have been making up lists for and against. They have also consulted people who know how the Ethiopian system works. And it is a decision that family and friends support. We think it is a good decision," Roxwall says to DN. "When they will submit their letter of pardon, they will again consult people who are familiar with the Ethiopian legal system", Roxvall continues.
"There is a tradition of pardon and forgiveness in Ethiopia"
The two two journalists motivated their decision in a short and concise written statement: "There is a tradition of pardon and forgiveness in Ethiopia and we choose to trust in this tradition", they wrote. It is now for the Swedish journalists to formulate a letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi according to Dagens Nyheter.
In a pardoning process, the Ethiopian President is the formal decision-maker but in pratctice it is the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who decides in this issue. A special pardoning commission will prepare the issue. This group is called "the eldest group" and consists according to Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) of Ethiopians with "international experience".
According to SvD several commentators on the issue judge that this group will choose a line of conciliation which means that the Swedes have good chances of being released relatively soon. The government of Sweden has no possibility of influencing this case as the relations with the Ethiopian regime are "very bad". Informal contacts seem instead to be the strategy.
Source: Stockholm News
Related topics:
Ethiopia jails Swedish journalists on terror charges
Swedes convicted over Ethiopian rebel links
Ethiopia to continue trial against Swedish journalists on terror charges
Swedish journalists apologize
Ethiopia: Swedish journalists are 'messenger boys of a terrorist organization'
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