Opposition leaders appear in court

Ethiopian opposition leaders appeared in court on Monday for the first time since being detained amid bloody political protests last week that claimed 46 lives. The 24 opposition leaders were ordered to be held another 14 days during the closed hearing, which took place under heavy guard, according to Mehrteab Leul, one of the opposition’s lawyers who was present. Those who were under arrest included Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) chairman Hailu Shawel, CUD vice-chairman Berhanu Nega and prominent human rights activist Mesfin Wolde Mariam. "They were not granted bail," Mehrteab said. "They have not been charged, but they are suspected of trying to bring an end to the constitutional system by violence," he added after the hearing. Meanwhile, federal police announced on state television that 32 people, including newspaper editors, members of civil society and CUD officials, were wanted for helping orchestrate post-election violence. Among them was Kifle Mulat, head of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association, and Netsanet Demissie, whose Organisation for Social Justice launched legal action in April against the National Election Board to allow local observers to cover the ballot. During the broadcast, pictures of the men and women were shown and police urged the public to help turn them in. CUD officials called for a general strike on Monday to protest the arrests of opposition leaders and killings. They are also demanding access to heavily controlled state media and reforms of parliamentary procedures that effectively bar minority parties. "The purpose of the strikes is to force the government to meet our demands," explained a CUD official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "These are peaceful measures and are indefinite, unless the government meets these demands. Otherwise we will take other measures, but they will be peaceful." The capital was relatively calm on Monday, although an atmosphere of general unease and the call for a strike appeared to keep shops closed. While most taxis remained off the streets, some drivers began returning to work on Tuesday after warnings that their licences would be revoked unless they resumed business. Key provincial towns to which violence had spread last week were quiet. Early on Monday, lawyers and families of the opposition leaders who had been detained launched legal action to secure their release. Getachew Kitaw, head of the Ethiopian Bar Association, told journalists that they had applied for a summons for the detainees to be brought to court or be released. "We are doing this because there is a massive contravention of the constitution," he said. Under Ethiopian law, detainees must be charged or released within 48 hours of being arrested. They must also be allowed access to lawyers and family visits. It is not clear if the application will affect the current remand hearings. "We are filing a habeas corpus application because the authorities have not produced the prisoners and they should do that in 48 hours," said Getachew, who is among 70 lawyers who have agreed to advocate on behalf of the 20 senior CUD officials. "Our application, if successful, means the authorities have to produce the prisoners in court and show good cause why they are detaining them, otherwise they must be released," he added. "Some of these men are sick. Professor Mesfin has been in bed for the last three months," Getachew said. Families of those who had been arrested also attended the court hearings, hoping to see their loved ones freed. Nega Bonga, the 84-year-old father of Berhanu, said he saw his son a day after his arrest when he was brought to back to his house for police to search it. "He had slight bruising around the right eye," Nega said at the First Instance Federal Court in Addis Ababa, where he was signing an affidavit for his son's release. "We are very worried about him, because we do not know what condition he is in now," he said. Zeleke Wolde Mariam, the sister of 75-year-old Mesfin, said she tried to visit her brother to see if he was receiving his medication but was refused access by police. "He is very seriously ill and has to take tablets for his health," she said. Abebe Maheteme Selassie, brother-in-law of Hailu, said he was pessimistic about their release. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has pledged an investigation into the killings. The US and EU, in a statement, said the violence had "damaged Ethiopia's international reputation." They called for the release of political prisoners and an end to the violence. "These distressing events have further deepened mistrust, as well as political and social divisions," the statement said.