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| Ethiopia death sentences for plot | Ethiopia death sentences for plot |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| An Ethiopian court has sentenced five people to death and 33 others to life in prison for planning to assassinate government officials. | An Ethiopian court has sentenced five people to death and 33 others to life in prison for planning to assassinate government officials. |
| Prosecutors had said the convicted were part of the Ginbot 7 (15 May) group led by Berhanu Nega, a US-based dissident. | Prosecutors had said the convicted were part of the Ginbot 7 (15 May) group led by Berhanu Nega, a US-based dissident. |
| He was among those sentenced to death, as was opposition leader Melaku Tefera. | He was among those sentenced to death, as was opposition leader Melaku Tefera. |
| Mr Melaku was present in the Addis Ababa courtroom with 27 other accused. Some of the defendants have said they were tortured into confessing. | Mr Melaku was present in the Addis Ababa courtroom with 27 other accused. Some of the defendants have said they were tortured into confessing. |
| Convicting the men in November, Judge Adem Ibrahim said the court had not been convinced of the torture allegations. | Convicting the men in November, Judge Adem Ibrahim said the court had not been convinced of the torture allegations. |
| The authorities have said they found weapons, including land mines, at the men's homes when they were arrested in April. | The authorities have said they found weapons, including land mines, at the men's homes when they were arrested in April. |
| "The... five have committed grave offences and four of them have not learnt from their previous sentences," said Judge Adem passing down the sentences. | |
| "Therefore, we have been been obliged to give the most severe sentences." | |
| Relatives of the men broke down in the courtroom as the sentences were read out, says the BBC's correspondent in Addis Ababa, Uduak Amimo. | |
| Lawyers for the defence said they would appeal. |