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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - An Ethiopian judge on Monday acquitted 25 opposition supporters and journalists who faced charges of attempted genocide and treason stemming from violence that erupted during protests over disputed 2005 elections.
Federal High Court Judge Adil Ahmed said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges, part of an ongoing trial of 131 opposition leaders, aid workers and union members. The defendants could have faced life in prison or the death penalty.
The proceedings have been widely condemned by international human rights groups as an attempt to silence Ethiopian government critics.
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