Posted on 01/11/2007 1:21:23 AM PST by HAL9000
The Ethiopian ex-dictator Mengistu condemned to the prison with life for genocide
Addis Ababa - the ex-dictator Ethiopian Marxist Mengistu Hailé Mariam, found guilty of genocide during “red Terror”, was condemned to the prison with life by contumacy Thursday by the federal high court of Ethiopia, brought back a journalist of AFP.
“The Court decided to condemn the culprit number one to the prison with life”, declared judge Nur Mohamed in connection with Mengistu Hailé Mariam.
Colonel Mengistu, which lives in exile in Zimbabwe since its mode was reversed in 1991, had been recognized guilty on December 12 by contumacy of genocide by Ethiopian justice for the crimes committed during red Terror (1977-1978).
The lawsuit of the “red négus”, nickname given to colonel Mengistu who directed Ethiopia of 1977 to 1991, had started 10 years ago.
Mr. Mengistu had taken the head of the mode Ethiopian militaro-Marxist, on February 3, 1977, at the time of a bloody coup d'etat which ensured the control of Derg to him, military council trained by officers directing the country since the fall of the emperor Hailé Sélassié, in 1974.
I have a good Ethiopian friend who I'll bounce this off of. We talk about East African affair frequently. He doesn't have anything good to say about the Derg and it's rule.
I seem to recall that Mengistu actually had Haile Selassie murdered, as well.
why give the enemy a challenge to try and free him?
He's already free, and likely to remain free, so the sentence is symbolic.
I suppose they could have symbolically sentenced him to death, though.
“The Court decided to condemn the culprit number one to the prison with life”,
Is English so convoluted to non English speakers ... or are other languages so indirect that it's no wonder they don't understand personal Liberty and freedom?
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