Ethiopia military court sentences jail terms to 66 soldiers

A military court in Ethiopia has sentenced 66 soldiers to between five and 14 years in prison for marching on the residence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in October. The officials remarked that those soldiers had broken military ethics.

The soldiers were asking for a pay rise but Abiy Ahmed later insisted they had wanted to assassinate him.

"These sentences delivered today will serve as lessons," prosecutor Cap Hailemariam Mamo told the media. The defendants' lawyer said he would lodge appeals for a few suspects.

One defendant was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while 65 others were given jail terms ranging from five to 13 years, for 'violation of military ethics', Col Meshesha Areda, head of the military tribunals directorate, said quoted by Reuters news agency.

There has been no word on legal action against other members of the 200-strong group. Over 2.7 million people have been displaced this year, 2.2 million of which were forced to flee due to ethnic clashes.