Ethiopia jails two Swedish journalists

Two Swedish journalists jailed for 11 years in Ethiopia for entering the country illegally and for helping and promoting the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)

27 December 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were detained in July after they entered Ethiopia from Somalia with rebels from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).

Reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson were arrested in July after they entered Ethiopia's Ogaden province from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region with a group of rebel fighters.

The Ethiopian court sentenced both journalists to 11 years. Prosecutors had asked for longer sentences. The two journalists acknowledged that they made contact with the ONLF and entered the country illegally.

However, they said they were only trying to report on the activities of a Swedish oil company, in a region the Ethiopian authorities will not allow journalists to enter.

The journalists' lawyer said his clients were considering lodging an appeal, but excluded the possibility of pleading for clemency. The convictions of Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson have been criticised by human rights groups and the Swedish government.

ONLF is a separatist rebel group which has been fighting for the independence of the Ogaden region since 1984.