Page 9 - aruba-today-20190713

A9
WORLD NEWS Saturday 13 July 2019

Italian court says wrong Eritrean accused of trafficking

By FRANCES D'EMILIO thorities had arrested the
Associated Press wrong man.
ROME (AP) — A court in Calantropo said his client
Palermo, Sicily, ruled Fri- was a refugee from Eritrea
day that the wrong Eritrean who was in Sudan in hopes
man was arrested and tried of himself migrating from
as a migrant smuggling Africa. He was arrested in
kingpin and ordered him Khartoum, Sudan, with the
released from jail, a ruling help of Britain's National
cheered by supporters who Crime Agency. During the
had for years championed trial, the man told the court
his claim of mistaken iden- that Sudanese police beat
tity. him and stole his identity
Defense lawyer Michele document.
Calantropo told The Asso- Calantropo presented an
ciated Press that his client, expert's analysis of a voice
Medhanie Tesfamariam that been recorded in
Behre, "cried for joy" when phone conversations inter-
the court ordered him re- cepted by Italian police,
leased from jail, three years who concluded the voice
after he had been extra- was not Behre's.
dited to Italy from Sudan During the trial, the lawyer
on a charge of human traf- Medhanie Tesfamariam Behre, an Eritrean man arrested and tried as a migrant smuggler, sits told the court more than
ficking. But while the court behind the bars during a trial inside the Ucciardone bunker hall in the Sicilian town of Palermo, 28,000 signatures were
exonerated him of the traf- Italy, Friday, July 12, 2019. gathered on petitions
ficking charge, it convicted Associated Press backing the defendant's
him of a lesser charge — offender, he won't have to the court to convict him ally had the right man. One wrong identification claim.
aiding illegal immigration do any more time in jail. and give a 14-year prison of the defendant's sisters, Outside the courthouse
— for helping two cousins The also court convicted term. "The court recog- who lives in Norway, said Friday, his supporters re-
reach Italy, based on inves- five co-defendants of aid- nized that it was a person she recognized her brother joiced at the ruling. They
tigations conducted after ing illegal immigration, involved in aiding illegal in extradition photos but wore T-shirts emblazoned
Behre was extradited to Calantropo said. immigration," Lo Voi said. said he was living a "nor- with Behre's photo and the
Italy, Calantropo said. Prosecutors had argued "Thus (he was) not a poor mal" life in Sudan and had words "Free our innocent
The court sentenced him the defendant was Med- carpenter unjustly perse- nothing to do with human brother."
on that charge to five years hane Yehdego Mered, an cuted," the Italian news smuggling. In the past few years, thou-
in prison. But since Behre alleged human trafficking agency ANSA quoted him After his extradition to Italy, sands of migrants have
already spent three years kingpin who profited as as saying. a Sweden-based refugee drowned or gone missing
behind bars under a war- thousands of migrants were Even as the suspect was advocate who is Eritrean, in the Mediterranean Sea
rant for the wrong man, it smuggled to Italy on un- extradited to Italy in 2016, Meron Estefanos, said she when their flimsy, over-
was likely under Italy's jus- seaworthy boats launched doubts rose up about started receiving calls from crowded smuggling boats
tice system that, as a first from Libya. They had asked whether prosecutors actu- people who told her au- sank or capsized.q

AU envoy: Sudan military, protesters to sign political deal

By FAY ABUELGASIM democracy coalition had staging a military coup, so
NOHA ELHENNAWY agreed to the joint sover- we should hurry up and sign
Associated Press eign council. and leave any points of dif-
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — In a statement, Omar said ference to be discussed
A political transition agree- at least 16 active and re- later," Abdel Meguid told
ment between Sudan's mili- tired military officers were the Associated Press.
tary and a pro-democracy arrested. Security forces Last week, the military and
coalition is expected to be were pursuing the group's FDFC representatives an-
signed Saturday, a top Af- leader and additional offi- nounced that they had
rican Union diplomat said cers who took part in plot- reached a power-sharing
early Friday. ting the coup attempt, he agreement amid robust
Mohammed el-Hassan La- said, but the council did African and international
bat's announcement came not reveal the name of the pressure.
just hours after the Suda- attempted leader, his rank A military leader is to head
nese military claimed it had or other details. the council for the first 21
thwarted an attempted Tarek Abdel Meguid, an months, followed by a ci-
military coup. FDFC leader, voiced skep- vilian leader for the next
The transition agreement Sudanese people celebrate in the streets of Khartoum after ruling ticism about the military's 18. They also agreed on an
sets up a joint sovereign generals and protest leaders announced they have reached an announcement of a failed independent Sudanese in-
council that will rule for a agreement on the disputed issue of a new governing body on coup, calling it a hoax vestigation into the dead-
little over three years while Friday, July 5, 2019. meant to pressure pro-de- ly crackdown by security
elections are organized. Associated Press mocracy forces into signing forces on the protests last
Ethiopian mediator Mah- The deal is meant to break Lt. Gen. Gamal Omar, a the deal. month — though it's un-
moud Dirir told reporters the political deadlock that member of Sudan's mili- "They (the military) want clear if anyone will be held
that the political declara- has gripped the country tary council, said the coup to say that the situation in accountable. The military
tion will be "debated on, following the overthrow of attempt took place late Sudan is very volatile, and also agreed to restore the
discussed and signed at autocratic President Omar Thursday, just days after that there is a deep state internet after a weekslong
the same time." al-Bashir in April. the military and the pro- with people capable of blackout. q