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Also in the news:[Somali capital rocked by renewed clashes, seven killed] - [Campaign to free Ethiopia hostages] - [Kenya to Begin Shuttle Diplomacy Between Rivals Eritrea and Ethiopia ] - [Free at last]
International:
[Ugandan police fire at protesters] - [World Reacts to U.S. University Shooting] - [France Knew Of Hijack Plot Before 9/11] - [Olmert: Israel Open to Prisoner Exchange] and more of today's top stories!
Free at last!
Serkalem Fasil, once publisher of Asqual, Satenaw and Menilik newspapers, was pregnant at the time of her arrest in November 2005 and gave birth to her son in prison. jailed for almost two years on charges of treason, genocide, and instigation to violent regime change, along with CUD leadership, members, civil society activists and other journalists. The young mother is aquitted on all counts.(Picture - Capital)Our Quest for the Resolution to the Ethiopian Human Rights Crisis:Time for A Critical Appraisal
by Meqdes Mesfin
(daughter of renowned human rights activist and prisoner of conscience Professor Mesfin Wolde-Mariam)
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PRESS RELEASE
(EFJA) Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association
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Part II IEWO Radio Interview
Lulit Mesfin and Alemayehu Zemedkhun
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Ethiopian American Civic Advocacy (EACA) website
EACA demands that all political prisoners in Ethiopia be released urgent petition
Capital: Free at last
The Second Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court ruled for 25 journalists to be set free and for eight editors-in-chief to defend the charges brought against them by the Federal prosecutor.
Most of the freed journalists are either managing directors of newspapers or deputy editors-in-chief. The court has also quashed the attempted genocide and high treason charges leveled against all the accused in the case of Engineer Hailu Shawel et.al.
In a ruling on April 9, concerning the charges brought against journalists and publishers in the first charge, the court first stated that the role of the press was to promote the building of a democratic order by providing constructive criticisms, adding that it should be free and independent.
It then went on to say that pursuant to the Criminal Code of Ethiopia, for crimes committed through periodicals, it was chiefly the editor-in-chief who should be held liable and accordingly, ordered the editor-in-chiefs and four publishers among the accused to defend the charges against them, setting free deputy-editors-in chief as well as newspaper owners and managers of the companies that publish the newspapers.
Serkalem Fasil owner of Serkalem Publishing and her husband Eskinder Nega, who were also freed, told Capital that they thanked those who supported them morally during their incarceration.
Somali capital rocked by renewed clashes, seven killed
MOGADISHU (AFP - Apr. 17) - Heavy weapons fire broke out Tuesday in the Somali capital as Ethiopian army units and Islamist insurgents clashed in southern Mogadishu killing at least seven civilians, witnesses said.
Machinegun and heavy mortar fire rattled the Al Kamin quarter and some shells exploded close to the presidential palace, an AFP correspondent said.
Residents said long-range mortar shells rained over the nearby Bakara area, leaving a trail of casualties.(More...)
Kenya to Begin Shuttle Diplomacy Between Rivals Eritrea and Ethiopia
Kenya's Foreign Ministry says it is preparing an intense diplomatic shuttle to bring an end to the crisis between Horn of Africa rivals Eritrea and Ethiopia over Somalia. VOA correspondent Alisha Ryu reports from Nairobi.
Kenya's Deputy Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula says ministry officials are working hard to lay the groundwork for Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju to begin the shuttle in the next two weeks.
"It is a process that involves wide-ranging consultations between several capitals," he said. "The details of how we are going to go about it are being worked out."(More...)
Scores of Ethiopian troops flee Somalia to Yemen: report
Sana'a - Scores of Ethiopian army troops have arrived off the coast of Yemen onboard two boats belonging to smugglers after they fled fighting with Islamic insurgents in Somalia, a press report said on Tuesday.
Some 89 Ethiopian soldiers arrived in the Arqa area in southern Yemen after crossing the Gulf of Aden from Bosaso city in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in northeast Somalia, the al-Ayyam daily newspaper said in a report on its website.
The paper said 49 Somali refugees were aboard the boats that carried the soldiers, who were wearing civilian clothes.(More...)
Campaign to free Ethiopia hostages
Thousands of people have signed up to a campaign to free nine Ethiopians who were kidnapped along with a group of Europeans in Ethiopia more than six weeks ago. (Picture - captive Debash Baye)
The group were taken in the north-eastern Afar region of the country - one of the hottest, most remote places on earth.
The three Britons, a French woman and an Italian woman with dual citizenship were released two weeks later but the Ethiopians are still being held.
The release of the Westerners was negotiated by Afar elders who handed them over to Eritrean authorities.(More...)
Ethiopia: "Mahder" to Be Launched
"Mahder", an Amharic feature film, will be launched on Monday at the National Theatre. The script was written by three writers and a total of 2054 actors participated in the film. Mahder is produced by Wabi Film Production.
According to Daniel, a representative of the film production, the movie is shot with a digital camera approved by World Television Broadcast Standard Organization for professional use. The actors were cast with a screen test after inviting actors through a vacancy.
In the film production, 25 film professionals participated. A costume designer, lighting and film expert, film consultant, film economist and film technical experts were also part of the production crew.(More...)
Today's Top International Stories
-Ugandan police fire at protesters-Ban hails Sudan's UN troops move(UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has described Sudan's decision to allow 3,000 UN troops into Darfur as "a very positive sign")
-World Reacts to U.S. University Shooting
-France Knew Of Hijack Plot Before 9/11(Officials Confirm French Spy Service Warned CIA Of Al Qaeda Plot In Early 2001)
-Olmert: Israel Open to Prisoner Exchange
-Ukraine's Constitutional Court Tries to Solve Power Battle
-China hoarding H5N1 samples for over a year: WHO
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