Ethiopia’s Federal High Court in Dire Dawa, Jigjiga Criminal Court Rotating Bench, has handed down sentences of up to 20 years in prison to 81 individuals convicted of engaging in terrorist activities as members of the Al-Shabaab militant group.
According to state media, the accused were prosecuted under the Ethiopian Federal Criminal Code of 2004 and the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes Proclamation No. 1176/2020. They were found guilty of leading and participating in terrorist operations, as well as maintaining associations with Al-Shabaab, a globally recognized terrorist organization, since 2022.
Evidence presented by the Ministry of Justice’s Organized and Trans-Border Crime branch included 57 eyewitness testimonies and 396 pages of documents. The court also reviewed confessions from some defendants regarding their involvement in activities such as training, carrying out attacks, and promoting the group’s political and religious agenda.
The charges linked the accused to operations dating back to 2019, implicating them in destabilizing public order, attacking government entities, and participating in missions in the Afder and Shebelle zones of the Somali Regional State. While the court noted parallels with Al-Shabaab’s July 2022 attack in Ethiopian border areas, which resulted in civilian and police casualties, it did not explicitly confirm connections to this specific incident.
Of the 81 convicted, 18 individuals received 20-year sentences, while others were handed prison terms ranging from 12 to 18 years based on their degree of involvement. Public defenders represented the defendants, many of whom lacked the resources to appoint private counsel.
This sentencing follows Ethiopia’s broader efforts to address terrorism threats and reinforce security in vulnerable regions.