1. Posted on Wednesday 28 December 2011 - 11:00

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   AfricaNews editor

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   AfricaNews Monitoring Team

   Two Swedish journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, have been jailed for 11 years in Ethiopia for entering the country illegally and supporting terrorism drawing heavy criticism from human rights groups and the Swedish government.

   

   The two journalists were detained in July after they were captured in Ethiopia with rebels from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
   
   

   The men were found guilty of the charges last week.
    

   They say they were just doing their jobs as journalists.
    

   Prosecutors had asked for longer sentences of up to 18 years, but Judge Shemsu Sirgaga, who presided in the case, said 11 years was appropriate.
    

   "This sentence should satisfy the goal of peace and security," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying.
    

   A lawyer for the journalists, Abebe Balcha, said they would decide later this week whether to appeal.
    

   "I am not satisfied, as a lawyer for the defendants - I do not agree with the decision," he said.

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Reactions

1. Posted on Saturday 24 March 2012 19:07

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   lhauri

   

   
   116 berichten
   Lid sinds February 2012

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   It is not a fair decision in my opinion. You should reconsider it. gay chat

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2. Posted on Thursday 05 April 2012 03:56

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   jack88

   

   
   73 berichten
   Lid sinds April 2012

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   This is so crazy to get all of these years due to enetering the country illegally. I am not sure what to think about this at all. This is definitely too harsh. Nanny Agency Ottawa

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