ETHIOPIA. FEDERAL SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS MAJOR MELAKU DEATH SENTENCE

Ethiopia’s Federal Supreme Court upheld the death sentence passed earlier on Major Melaku Tefera who was convicted by the Federal High Court for committing the crime of genocide during the former military regime.
The convict appealed to the Federal Supreme Court against the verdict given by the Federal High Court on December 8, 2006. However, the Federal Supreme Court also upheld the death sentence saying it found the Major 'guilty' of committing genocide.
The Federal Supreme Court upheld the verdict stating that Major Melaku, who was administrator of the former Gondar Province, had ordered the unlawful execution of 971 citizens as well as causing permanent disability on 83 others during his term in office, while he had no authority to give such orders.
The court reiterated in the verdict that the Major had indeed committed genocide since he ordered the killing of members of the opposition by abusing his political power.
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