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Ethiopia's pardoned critic jailed | Ethiopia's pardoned critic jailed |
(31 minutes later) | |
Ethiopia's main opposition leader has been sent to prison to serve a life sentence, after a pardon granted to her last year was revoked. | Ethiopia's main opposition leader has been sent to prison to serve a life sentence, after a pardon granted to her last year was revoked. |
Birtukan Medeksa was among more than 100 people jailed for offences after controversial polls in 2005. | Birtukan Medeksa was among more than 100 people jailed for offences after controversial polls in 2005. |
A dispute over the terms of her release caused her re-arrest. | A dispute over the terms of her release caused her re-arrest. |
Her colleague Berhanu Nega, who was also pardoned and now lives in exile, told the BBC it showed the government "was hell-bent on staying in power". | Her colleague Berhanu Nega, who was also pardoned and now lives in exile, told the BBC it showed the government "was hell-bent on staying in power". |
The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in the capital, Addis Ababa, says Ms Birtukan was a former judge and one of the younger and more charismatic leaders of the coalition which did so astonishingly well against the ruling party in the 2005 elections. | The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in the capital, Addis Ababa, says Ms Birtukan was a former judge and one of the younger and more charismatic leaders of the coalition which did so astonishingly well against the ruling party in the 2005 elections. |
Our reporter says that while in jail facing charges of treason, she became even more of a heroine, attracting widespread sympathy as a single mother separated from her baby daughter. | Our reporter says that while in jail facing charges of treason, she became even more of a heroine, attracting widespread sympathy as a single mother separated from her baby daughter. |
After the opposition leaders were pardoned and released last year, she emerged as the leader of a new coalition, the Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), painstakingly stitched together from various opposition groupings to contest elections in 2010. | After the opposition leaders were pardoned and released last year, she emerged as the leader of a new coalition, the Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), painstakingly stitched together from various opposition groupings to contest elections in 2010. |
Mistakes | Mistakes |
The government news agency, quoting the ministry of justice, said her pardon had been revoked, since she had denied requesting her pardon. | The government news agency, quoting the ministry of justice, said her pardon had been revoked, since she had denied requesting her pardon. |
Ms Birtukan's problems started when she spoke to journalists abroad about the way the opposition leaders were released, our correspondent says. | Ms Birtukan's problems started when she spoke to journalists abroad about the way the opposition leaders were released, our correspondent says. |
She talked about negotiations which had taken place between the opposition and government, with the help of a panel of elders, before their pardon was granted. | She talked about negotiations which had taken place between the opposition and government, with the help of a panel of elders, before their pardon was granted. |
The government prefers to lay emphasis on a document signed by the prisoners, regretting any mistakes they had committed and asking for pardon. | The government prefers to lay emphasis on a document signed by the prisoners, regretting any mistakes they had committed and asking for pardon. |
This implies that their release was part of a normal judicial process, rather than in any way part of a negotiated political deal. | This implies that their release was part of a normal judicial process, rather than in any way part of a negotiated political deal. |
Mr Berhanu, who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa in 2005 and now lives in the United States, says the aim of the government is to "humiliate" any opposition to its rule. | Mr Berhanu, who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa in 2005 and now lives in the United States, says the aim of the government is to "humiliate" any opposition to its rule. |
"What this is doing is to change the nature of the struggle," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "What this is doing is to change the nature of the struggle," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
"There is no other way to freedom and liberty in that country without getting rid of this government." | "There is no other way to freedom and liberty in that country without getting rid of this government." |
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