Ethiopian Court Jails Muslim Activists, Journalist

An Ethiopian court on Monday slapped four leaders of a local Muslim group, a journalist and 13 others with hefty jail terms for "incitement" and "terrorism".



All of those sentenced, who have remained in police custody for the past three years, are Muslims. All of them were convicted in a trial held early last month.



Uztaz Abubeker Ahmed, Ahemedin Jebel, Yasin Nuru and Kemil Shemsu – all of whom are members of Ethiopia's Muslims' Arbitration Committee – each received 22 years behind bars for "having played major roles in terrorism and incitement."



The Muslim's Arbitration Committee was originally set up to help settle differences between the government and Ethiopia's sizeable Muslim community.



Five of the defendants received 18-year sentences, five others received 15-year sentences, and the remaining four – including one journalist – received seven-year sentences.



All of them were detained in late 2012 under the country's anti-terrorism proclamation. - Addis Ababa