Daniel and Netsanet were among the 131 individuals brought to court on charges of inticing violence and uprising following the 2005 parliamentary and regional elections. Following guilty verdicts and sentences of up to life in prison the other convicts including top CUD leaders were given pardon upon the pleas they submitted regreting their actions and promising to make up for it and never to engage in similar activities.

Before the Second Criminal Bench of the court handed down the sentence, the prosecution had demanded a punishment proportional to what it said was a serious crime, while the defence lawyer countered.

In its ruling, the court said the crimes Daniel and Netsanet had been convicted of commiting could not be said as serious as what the prosecution claimed and "they do not appear dangerous to society".

The court then gave two-and-a-half year to each of the last two defendants.

The court reserves the right to appeal of both the prosecution and the defence lawyer, though.

E: 4:37 p.m.

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