Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on recent developments in relation to the incarceration and trial of opposition members in Ethiopia. [25235/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On 23 February 2006, the trial began of a group of 129 people, including members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), journalists and civil society activists. Several of the CUD members on trial were elected to public office in May 2005. The Ethiopian authorities claim that the group was responsible for launching and organising the June and November 2005 riots, as part of an agenda to overthrow the Government by force. They were charged as a group with treason, genocide and inciting violence. Although the Ethiopian penal code provides that the death sentence may be imposed in cases of treason and genocide, a moratorium on executions has been in operation since 1998 and is expected to continue.

Ireland, along with our EU partners, has underlined to the Ethiopian Prime Minister the need for the trial to be conducted in a transparent, fair and speedy manner in accordance with international standards. We also called for the release of the detainees on bail as a confidence building measure and for better access to detainees by families, lawyers and the international community. These points were reiterated when the Chairman and members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs met the Prime Minister in Addis Ababa on 4 May 2006. The Oireachtas delegation also visited the prison where the detainees are held and met with two detained members of the CUD leadership and a civil society representative.

The Prime Minister has agreed to an EU request for international observation of the trial and a distinguished international lawyer, Mr Michael Ellmann, is observing the trial on behalf of the EU. EU Embassies in Addis Ababa, including that of Ireland, are also monitoring developments. While bail has not been approved, the Prime Minister has indicated that the Ethiopian authorities will do everything they can to ensure the expeditious completion of the trial. It is anticipated that it may end in December 2006.

On 22 March 2006, all charges were withdrawn against 18 of the detainees, including 9 being tried in absentia, and the prosecutor was instructed by the court to amend the genocide charge to "attempted genocide." The trial of the remaining defendants has continued during June. The prosecution is currently showing video evidence.

I myself will travel to Ethiopia from 5-8 July where I will meet with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin. I plan to also visit the detained CUD leaders and civil society representatives. I will press the Prime Minister to reconsider granting bail to those detained in relation to this case, particularly Mr Daniel Bekele and Mr Netsanet Demissie, both civil society activists, and Ms Serkalem Fasil, a publisher, who recently gave birth to a son in prison. I am also concerned by reports that several detainees are suffering from illness due to their conditions of detention.