28 March 2008 Anti-poverty campaigners Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie were released from Kaliti prison in Ethiopia at approximately 16:30 local time (13:30 GMT). Friends, relatives and ActionAid colleagues gave them an emotional  welcome back to freedom after more than two years in prison.

 

7 January 2008 Daniel and Netsanet spend their third Ethiopian Christmas Day in prison, as they await the outcome of their parole application.

 

26 December 2007 The anti-poverty campaigners Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, detained in Ethiopia in 2005 and convicted after a two-year trial, were given prison sentences of two and a half years each - which will be completed at the beginning of May 2008.Since Daniel and Netsanet have already spent more than two thirds of their sentence in detention, there is a possibility that they could now be freed on parole.

 

24 December 2007 Ethiopia’s Federal High Court convicts Daniel and Netsanet, the last remaining defendants in a trial in which they were charged along with 129 others. The High Court acquits Daniel and Netsanet of treason but finds them guilty of a lesser charge of ‘provocation and preparation’. The verdict is met with shock and dismay by ActionAid.

 

30 November 2007 The verdict is postponed again. This time until 24 December. The sick judge is not returning to the case and a new one has been appointed and needs time to study the evidence.

 

22 November 2007 The verdict in the case of Ethiopian anti-poverty campaigners Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, which was expected today, has been postponed again because a judge is in hospital.

 

1 November 2007 Daniel Bekele has now been in jail for the past two years. A court verdict is expected on November 22.

 

9 October 2007 The presiding judge tells the Court that the bench needs more time to examine the final statements of the prosecution and the defence and to prepare their verdict. The court is adjourned for 45 days to reconvene on 22 November.

 

1 October 2007 Having received a copies of the prosecution's response to the defence doumentary evidence and the prosecution’s final remarks Daniel and Netsanet´s lawyer delivers the written closing statement for the defence to the High Court.

 

25 August 2007 Prosecutors request more time to complete their written closing statement to the Court. New deadline is set for 27 September. The defence statement has to be presented on 1 October. The date of the next session of the Court remains unchanged as 9 October.

2 August 2007 The final defence witnesses are called. In all 29 witnesses were called by the defence over 4 days. The defendants present 300 pages of documentary evidence to the Court. The Court adjourns for the legal vacation and fixes the next session for 9 October when the judges expect to give their verdict. The prosecutors are instructed to present their summing up in writing to the Court by 25 August and the defence to present their final representations in writing five days later.

 

1 August 2007 Third batch of defence witnesses give evidence.

 

31 July 2007 Second batch of defence witnesses heard. A UN election official testifies that the two men had performed in accordance with the constitution and the legal framework of the country. 

30 July 2007 The court hearings are moved back to the High Court. 6 recently freed Ethiopian opposition leaders tell the court that neither Daniel nor Netsanet were ever members of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy. 
 
27 July 2007 Daniel and Netsanet begin presenting their defence.

 

25 July 2007 Daniel and Netsanet are now the last two still on trial, after five other defendants change their pleas to guilty and two more decide to present no further evidence.

20 July 2007 Ethiopian government pardons the 38 convicted prisoners who were sentenced four days earlier. All have signed a document recognising their actions as unconstitutional. Daniel and Netsanet had been given the opportunity to sign the same document but declined to do so as they wished to demonstrate to the Court their innocence of the charges they faced.

19 July 2007 Daniel and Netsanet´s appeal is heard in the Supreme Court against the judges’ ruling of 5 April that, after hearing the prosecution evidence, the two have a case to answer. It is dismissed on procedural grounds. 

16 July 2007 The 38 prisoners convicted in June are sentenced. Most receive life sentences.

12 July 2007 Daniel and Netsanet are again refused bail by the trial judges but they are told that they may take the matter once more to a higher court if they wish.

11 June 2007 38 of those on trial are found guilty, having offered no defence. For others, including Daniel and Netsanet, the trial continues.

5 April 2007 After meeting several times between February and April, the court rules by a majority vote that Daniel and Netsanet do have a case to answer and should prepare their defence. The presiding judge then reads his dissenting minority opinion that they have no case to answer and should be freed.

 

19 February 2007 Court meets briefly and adjourns again until 5 March.

13 December 2006 Daniel and Netsanet present written petition to the Court before the judges rule on whether they have a case to answer or not.

29 November 2006 Additional prosecution  witnesses ( numbers 8,9,10 and 11) testify regarding seizure of documents presented as evidence against Daniel and Netsanet. Prosecution then concludes its evidence. Court adjourns until February 2007.

9 November 2006 Daniel and Netsanet cross-examine a further prosecution witness (number 111) who has testified against them..

6 November 2006 Daniel and Netsanet’s lawyer makes a formal complaint and asks for an adjournment as they are psychologically unable to continue with the cross-examinations. Daniel and Netsanet explain to the judges what has happened and ask to be reunited in the prison. After a brief recess, the bench rules unanimously that they be urgently reunited in their original accommodation.

3 November 2006 In an all-day court session, Daniel and Netsanet cross-examine three prosecution witnesses (numbers 91, 92 and 110). In the evening on return to the prison they are moved from the accommodation they have shared for the last six months, and separated. After a night on a mattress in a large metal container, Daniel is moved on Saturday to a very crowded area of the prison. Netsanet is similarly isolated on Friday night and then on Saturday moved to a different area, in a room with some 300 other prisoners.

13 October 2006 The defendants hear that new prosecution documentary evidence will be admitted.

5 October 2006 After a brief session the court adjourns for a further eight days.

4 August 2006 The Prosecution makes a formal response to the defence objection to the introduction of the new evidence. The Federal High Court then adjourns for vacation until 5 October without giving a ruling on the admissibility of the new evidence.

3 August 2006 Cassation Bench rejects Daniel and Netsanet’s bail appeal by a 2:1 majority.

31 July 2006 Daniel and Netsanet present a formal objection to the admissibility of the additional prosecution evidence insofar as it relates to them. 

 

14 July 2006 Prosecutors are granted permission to introduce 900 pages of ‘new’ documentary evidence and, unlike the initial documents, this might include material related to Daniel and Netsanet.

6 July 2006 Preliminary hearing by the Cassation Bench of Daniel and Netsanet’s bail appeal.

3 July 2006 End of audio evidence. Prosecution begins to present documentary evidence.

29 June 2006 Prosecution begins to present audio evidence.

5 June 2006 Daniel and Netsanet appeal to the Cassation Bench against the decisions of the Federal High Court and Supreme Court denying them bail.

 

8 May 2006 Federal High Court reconvenes at a new location close to Kaliti prison. Prosecution begins to present video evidence.

2 May 2006 Court hears prosecution’s opening statement  and agrees that video, audio and documentary evidence will be presented prior to witness testimonies.

22 March 2006 Federal High Court rules that the prosecution need not reveal identities of witnesses at this stage. Charges dropped against 18 of the accused, including Voice of America journalists. Court announces that trial proper will begin on 2 May and run continuously. Court rules that Daniel and Netsanet and their lawyers will be able to hear prosecution witnesses, and cross-examine them, before presenting their defence.

10 March 2006 Supreme Court upholds the decision not to grant Daniel and Netsanet bail.

 

3 March 2006 Daniel and Netsanet called to Supreme Court unexpectedly. Prosecution asks for a second chance to state its case against bail.

1 March 2006 Federal High Court refuses requests for separate trial and details of charges. Daniel and Netsanet (and Kassahun Kebede) formally plead not guilty. The other defendants refuse to plead.

24 Feb 2006 Supreme Court hears appeal against the denial of bail. Prosecution does not attend court.

23 Feb 2006 Daniel and Netsanet (and Kassahun Kebede from the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association) petition Federal High Court to be tried separately from the other defendants, and to be given details of the charges against them.

22 Feb 2006 In a statement reported by government-run Ethiopian News Agency and on Ethiopian TV, the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice accuses ActionAid of illegal actions to influence the legal process.

21 Jan 2006 Appeal lodged to the Supreme Court, against the refusal of bail.

4 Jan 2006 Daniel and Netsanet (94th and 95th defendants) are charged along with 129 others with the crime of ‘outrage against the Constitution and the constitutional order.’ Bail refused for second time.

21 Dec 2005 In court. First refusal of bail. Prisoners moved to Kaliti prison.

16 Dec 2005 Daniel and Netsanet appear in Federal High Court for the fourth time.

8 Nov 2005 Netsanet Demissie, Director of ‘Organisation for Social Justice' in Ethiopia and a close partner of ActionAid Ethiopia, hearing there is a warrant for his arrest, walks into a police station and gives himself up.

2 Nov 2005 ActionAid contacts human rights organisations, African Union commissioners, EU officials, diplomats and legislators.

1 Nov 2005 Daniel Bekele arrested