Verdict in genocide process

Ethiopia's former dictator faces the death penalty

After a twelve-year process Marathon Ethiopia's former dictator
Mengistu Haile Mariam of genocide by an Ethiopian court has convicted.
The problem: the tyrant lives in exile.

Addis Ababa - genocide, murder, crimes against humanity, illegal
arrest, unlawful expropriation: Mengistu, 69, was in absentia after
twelve years he was accused found guilty on all points. The court
initially declined to proclaim to the punishment. However, it is
expected the death penalty. Whether this can ever be enforced is
questionable. Because Mengistu lives in exile in Zimbabwe and so far
remained ineffective after all Ethiopian demands extradition of the
ex-ruler.

Ethiopian ex-dictator Mengistu: Guilty on all points
Mengistu fled in 1991 when rebels from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe refuses to extradite the mass
murderer guilty spoken. Mengistu and Mugabe maintain close contact,
since the former Ethiopian dictator helped in the formation of
Zimbabwe's guerrilla fighters.

The sentencing is still interpreted as a success. Against many former
dictators were human rights and genocide processes in the past will
not be completed. Examples include the late former head of state
Augusto Pinochet and Slobodan Milosevic.

Along with eleven other defendants were sentenced Mengistu. Ethiopia
has worked with the procedure, the 17-year reign of Mengistu Haile
Mariam phase. This had overthrown in 1974 together with other officers
of the Emperor Haile Selassie. Three years later he took over the
leadership of the state, which he wanted to impose a socialist system.
During his ascent went Mengistu before ruthless: his two predecessors
at the top of the 1977 formed "Provisional Military Administrative"
shot the ex-dictator.

The subsequent state terrorism are solely in the Ethiopian capital
Addis Ababa 5,000 people have fallen victim to. While the people
starved, Mengistu himself contributed one of the largest armies in
Africa. Ideologically and financially, he was supported by the Soviet
Union. Shortly after the collapse of Mengistu also being chased out of
the country: 1991 takes over the incumbent Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
to power.