Ethiopia “coup plotters” remanded without charge

A group accused of plotting to overthrow the Ethiopian government were remanded in custody on Monday again after spending more than one month in prison without any charges or visitation rights, relatives said.

Ethiopian security forces are holding 41 former and current army personnel from a “terror network” the government says was formed by Berhanu Nega, an opposition leader now teaching economics at a university in the United States.

“They will be held for another two weeks,” a relative who did not want to be named told Reuters outside the court in Addis Ababa. “They were not even charged today.”

The 41 are accused of planning to assassinate senior government figures and blow up public utilities to provoke street protests and overthrow the government.

“The investigation was now complete,” one lawyer said.

Security forces killed about 200 protesters after parliamentary elections in 2005 when the opposition disputed the victory of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government.

More than 100 relatives and supporters were gathered outside the courtroom. Ethiopian authorities have named only two of the prisoners despite calls from international rights groups that they name and charge all 41 detainees.

Neither family members nor lawyers have been able to visit the accused in prison, relatives said.

Meles has been hailed as part of a new generation of African leaders after coming to power in 1991, but rights groups say the rebel-turned-leader is cracking down on opposition.

His country, sub-Saharan Africa’s second most populous, is eyed by foreign investors interested in agriculture, horticulture and real estate but it has recently suffered from high inflation, power shortages and foreign currency shortages.

Ethiopia will hold national elections in June 2010.

Reuters.