A year after their release, Zone 9 Bloggers will reappear to Court

Four of the Zone 9 bloggers,  Abel Wabella,  Atnafu Berhane, Befkadu Hailu and Natnael Feleke will reappear to the Federal Supreme Court, tomorrow October21, 2016 for a verdict and Soliana Shimelis’s case will continue to be entertained in absentia.

Natnael Feleke (left top), Befkadu Hailu (right top), Abel Wabella (left bottom), Atnafu Birhane (right bottom) and Soliyana Shimelis (middle)

After their arrest on April 2014, the bloggers were charged with terrorism and the Federal High Court which has a first instance jurisdiction over the case acquitted them. However, the Federal Public Prosecutor appealed against the decision of the lower court and the Federal Supreme Court, a higher court with an appellate jurisdiction over the matter accepts its appeal.

On tomorrow's trial, the court is expected to give a final verdict over the oral argument the defendants and the prosecutor presents in addition to a verdict on the documentary evidences presented against the Bloggers. If the court accepts the prosecutor's appeal, the case will send back to the Federal High Court and the trial will resume while the bloggers rearrested.

On the other hand, one of the bloggers, Befkadu Hailu had still a pending case with the same cause of action under a lenient charge at the Federal High Court and Natnael Feleke also had a pending case in which he is alleged of incitement by talking politics.