 Two senior members of Ethiopia's former military government have been sentenced to death after an 11-year trial.
| Cheeze. And I thought the Michael Jackson trial would never end! |
Former Security Minister Tesfaye Woldeselassie and ex-police chief Legesse Belayneh were found guilty of torturing thousands of dissidents. The two men had played prominent roles in setting up torture camps during the "Red Terror" under Mengistu Haile Mariam, the court said. Eight other defendants were given prison sentences from 10 years to life for their part in the abuse of political prisoners.
At one such torture facility, known as Bermuda, "victims of excessive torture were wrapped [in] plastic sheeting to protect the torturers from getting splashed with blood or pus of the victims in successive round of tortures," the court said. "Apart from the routine whiplashes and beatings, victims also used to be electrocuted." Many other trials are under way of those accused of being involved in the Red Terror. Some 150,000 people were killed before Mr Mengistu was deposed in 1991. Mr Mengistu, who has been living in exile in Zimbabwe since he was overthrown, ...
... has been charged with genocide and human rights abuses.
| He's probably working as a consultant... |
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