An Ethiopian court on Tuesday sentenced two Swedish
journalists to 11 years in jail for supporting terrorism and entering the
country illegally.
"The sentence should be punishment of 11 years
imprisonment," Judge Shemsu Sirgaga told the court in the Amharic language
through a translator.
"This sentence should satisfy the goal of peace and
security," he added.
Reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson were
arrested in Ethiopia's Ogaden region on July 1 in the company of rebels from
the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) after entering Ethiopia from
Somalia.
Both Swedes showed no emotion at the sentencing, according
to an AFP reporter in the court.
Prosecutors last week at the verdict called for a maximum
sentence of 18 years and six months in prison.
The conviction attracted a barrage of criticism from rights
groups and Sweden.
Both journalists admitted contact with the ONLF and to
entering Ethiopia illegally, but rejected terrorism charges including
accusations they had received weapons training.
Following their conviction, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
said Schibbye and Persson were innocent and should be set free.
The two said they met ONLF chiefs in London and Nairobi
before meeting with about 20 members of the group in Ethiopia, about 40
kilometres (25 miles) from the Somali border.
Persson said their meeting the ONLF contacts had been for
professional reasons only, as part of their investigation of the activities of
Swedish oil company Lundin Oil the two were to report on.
The ONLF has been fighting for independence of the remote
southeastern Ogaden region since 1984, claiming they have been marginalised
from Addis Ababa.
Last month, charges of participating in terrorism were
dropped for lack of evidence.
(AFP)
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