News: Federal judges grant journalist Temesgen 100,000 birr bail
By Mahlet Fasil @MahletFasil
Addis Abeba – The Federal High Court Lideta Division First Constitutional and Terrorism Criminal Bench granted Journalist Temesgen Desalegn a bail of 100,000 birr.
Temesgen, Founder and Managing Director of the Amharic weekly “Fitih” Magazine, was granted the bail by two presiding judges judges who ruled in favor of the bail against one judge.
Temesgen is facing three criminal charges after the prosecutor indicted him last week for allegedly violating Articles 44 (1), (2) and 336 (1) of the 2003 Penal Code, and “revealing national defense forces’ secretes”; violating Article 44 (1), (2) of the Penal Code of 2003 for allegedly “disseminating false or misleading information about the national defense forces”; and violating Articles 44 (1), (2) and 257 (e) of the Penal Code of 2003, under allegations of “inciting and encouraging crimes.”
After bail was granted at today’s hearing, the judges adjourned the next hearing until 19 July to hear the defendant’s counter argument against the prosecutor’s charges.
Temesgen was first detained on 26 May after the police accused him of “inciting riots and creating public mistrust on the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and the government.” He was admitted to hospital for treatment after the police physically assaulted him during family visit on 03 June. AS
