http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=sv&cp=19&gs_id=1p&xhr=t&q=Swedish+journalists+jailed+for+11+years+in+Ethiopia&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=Swedish+journalists+jailed+for+11+years+in+Ethiopia&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=45ddb31d0731a159&biw=1280&bih=861
"An Ethiopian court on Tuesday sentenced two Swedish journalists to 11
years in jail for supporting terrorism and entering the country
illegally.
Bildt to meet jailed journalists' relatives (24 Dec 11)
Jailed Swedes 'innocent': Ethiopian rebels (23 Dec 11)
'Lundin may have led Bildt to the heart of darkness' (22 Dec 11)
Swedish journalists 'must be freed': Reinfeldt (21 Dec 11)
"The sentence should be punishment of 11 years imprisonment," Judge
Shemsu Sirgaga told the court in the Amharic language through a
translator.
"This sentence should satisfy the goal of peace and security," he
added.
Both Swedes showed no emotion at the sentencing, according to an AFP
reporter in the court.
Reporter Schibbye and photographer Persson -- both freelancers -- were
arrested in Ethiopia's Ogaden region on July 1st after entering the
country from Somalia.
They were arrested after a gun battle erupted between Ethiopian troops
and ONLF fighters, and are charged with supporting a terrorist group
and entering the country illegally.
Last Wednesday, the court found them guilty of supporting a terrorist
group and for entering the country illegally, with the prosecution
calling for a maximum sentence of 18 years and six months in prison.
Their conviction, last Wednesday, attracted a barrage of criticism
from Sweden and international rights groups such as Human Rights Watch
and Amnesty International.
Defence lawyer Abebe Balcha said the pair would decide later in the
week whether to appeal against the sentencing.
"I am not satisfied, as a lawyer for the defendants, I do not agree
with the decision," Abebe said outside the court.
"We will be talking to them (the Swedes) again on Thursday, and then
we will decide again on our plans on whether to appeal," he said,
adding that the judges had originally planned to give the Swedes a
longer jail term.
"The court has actually passed 14 years six months first, and then
mitigated it down," he said, noting the sentence was reduced "because
of the reputation of the defendants and also that they have never been
involved in crime before."
Following their conviction, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
also said Schibbye and Persson were innocent and should be set free.
The journalists both testified they were in Ethiopia to report on the
activities of the Swedish oil company Lundin Oil in the Ogaden.
They said they met ONLF chiefs in London and Nairobi before meeting
with about 20 members of the group in Ethiopia, about 40 kilometres
from the Somali border.
The ONLF has been fighting for independence of the remote southeastern
Ogaden region since 1984, claiming they have been marginalised from
Addis Ababa.
Last month, charges of participating in terrorism were dropped for
lack of evidence."
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