Democracy behind bars: 11 opposition leaders facing jail or death
With global democracy declining for the ninth year in a row, we look at some of the opposition leaders around the world who have been charged with sodomy, bribery and arson, and who now face prison and even death sentences.
Venezuela Leopoldo Lpez, awaiting verdict, charged with inciting violence and arson Our arguments and those of hundreds more Venezuelans suffering the same injustice are clear and forceful: political disqualification violates laws.
Founder of the opposition Popular Will party, Leopoldo Lpez was arrested on 18 February 2014 after calling for citizens to protest the government of President Nicolas Maduro, whose leadership has seen Venezuela pushed into the top 10 countries in the world for corruption and homicide. Charges of murder and terrorism were later downgraded to arson, damage and inciting violence, for which he is still on trial.
Ethiopia Andargachew Tsige, death row, convicted of attempting to overthrow the government Accused of attempting to overthrow the government, Ethiopian opposition leader Andargachew Tsige was sentenced to death in absentia in 2007. His party, Ginbot 7, seeks to end the countrys dictatorship and is Ethiopias largest exiled opposition movement. After Ginbot 7 was declared a terrorist organisation in the 1970s, Tsige fled and sought asylum in the UK.
While travelling to Eritrea in June 2014, Tsige disappeared during a stopover at Sanaa airport and was subsequently extradited to Ethiopia, where he remains on death row. Amnesty International has closely documented Tsiges case, and online petitions call for his release.
Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, 13 years, convicted of terrorism Maldivians have the right to be ruled, not through coercion, down the barrel of a gun, but peacefully, by popular consent, via the ballot box.
As president of the Maldives, Nasheed sought to arrest the chief judge of the criminal court for corruption in January 2012, but was forced to resign from office in what was effectively a coup. Now leader of the opposition Maldivian Democratic party, he was arrested on terrorism charges and jailed for 13 years earlier this month.
The MDP launched a national civil disobedience campaign to free Nasheed on 15 March, calling for citizens to take to the street in peaceful protest. His trial was deemed deeply flawed by Amnesty International.
Kuwait Musallam al-Barrak, two years, convicted for criticising the Kuwaiti ruler You can jail my body but not my ideas and will.
Musallam al-Barrak, leader of the Popular Action Movement opposition, is accused of insulting Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah during a speech while he was an MP in October 2012. His speech protested that changes in law would allow the al-Sabah family to manipulate election outcomes.
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Democracy behind bars: 11 opposition leaders facing jail or death