Two Swedish journalists convicted of entering Ethiopia illegally and aiding the Ogaden National Liberation Front say they will not appeal their 11 year sentences. Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, who were found guilty in December, hope to receive a pardon. The pair maintains they are innocent of the charges against them.
"There is a tradition of mercy and forgiveness in Ethiopia and we choose to rely on this tradition,” the men said in a short statement obtained by CNN.
Schibbye and Persson were arrested last July in Ogaden during a shootout between Ethiopian troops and Ogaden National Liberation Front rebels, who have been labeled terrorists by the Ethiopian government. They are now being held at Kality prison.
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