Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from BBC Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
BBC Amharic – Meskerem Abera receives a sentence after being found guilty of computer crimes
November 25, 2024
Founder and manager of digital media “Ethio Nikat” Meskerem Abera has been sentenced to one year and four months after being found guilty of computer crimes over three weeks ago.
During the sentencing Meskerem Abera was absent from the court according to attorney Ato Henok Aklilu who spoke to BBC.
The sentencing was passed onto Meskerem Abera by the Federal High Court’s First Special Crimes Court.
The court found Meskerem guilty on charges of “using a computer to attempt to incite riots, unrest and conflict”.
Meskerem was accused based on two programs published on YouTube under “Ethio Nikat” which she manages.
The first program was published on April 12/2022 (Miyazia 4/2014 E.C.) under the title “A message for General Abebaw Tadesse”, and the second program was published three days later on April 15/2022 (Miyazia 7/2014 E.C.) also on YouTube under the title, “What is being done in Amhara Region?”
During a court hearing last Tikimit (early November 2024), a ruling was passed finding Meskerem Abera guilty, and a court date had been scheduled to determine her sentencing.
After repeated rescheduling, today on Monday, November 25/2024 (Hedar 16/2017 E.C.) a court sentencing was passed says attorney Henok.
Attorney Henok said, “this decision was passed despite Meskerem Abera informing the court she had a grievance.”
Ato Henok explained his client's grievance to BBC as follows, “prior to this she had said the court did not appropriately review her defense and as a result she did not expect justice from the court, she added you can make a decision you think is appropriate but from now onward I will not be present in court, and she also communicated this to the court in writing.”
Following the court’s decision the attorney had issued an appeal and responded to the court saying, “in accordance with my discussion with her, the programs which were used to indict Meskerem contained no incitements, did not contain any content which would cause inter-communal conflict and contained nothing which would be considered criminal, and so we will prepare an appeal against the decision to the Federal Supreme Court.” He said, “outside of this we will not present any appeal regarding the duration of the sentencing.”
It can be recalled that on Tahasass 2015 E.C. (between December 10/2022 to January 8/2023) Meskerem had called for ENDF Deputy Commander General Abebaw Tadesse and former Amhara Region President Dr. Yilkal Kefale to be present as witnesses as part of her defense against the computer crimes charges for which she has now been sentenced.
She had been informed after she submitted an explanation of what the witnesses would clarify in her case they would receive a summon, to which she argued after the witnesses were brought forward they would be provided points to clarify, it was not accepted which her attorney told to BBC.
In addition to the one year and four months sentencing against Meskerem Abera under the current charges, she has also been charged under “carrying out terrorist acts” in the case file of Dr. Wondwossen Assefa along with Dawit Begashaw, Gobeze Sisay and Genet Asmamaw.
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