The Federal High Court in Lideta has acquitted former State Minister of Peace, Taye Dendea, on two major charges but found him guilty on a third count related to the possession of an unauthorized firearm.
According to his lawyer, Abera Nigus, the court cleared Taye of accusations that he had “given moral and verbal support to armed groups” and “helped efforts to overthrow the government by force,” ruling that the evidence presented by prosecutors did not constitute a criminal act. Instead, the court said the statements cited in those charges were protected by the right to freedom of expression.
However, the court found Taye guilty of “moving with an unauthorized weapon.” His defense team maintains that the charge is being contested, noting that Taye did not knowingly carry an illegal weapon and had challenged the claim’s validity. The court has set a later date to issue its final sentencing decision.
Taye Dendea, once a prominent government figure, was removed from his position and later detained after publicly criticizing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s leadership. His arrest and prosecution have drawn significant public attention, with some viewing the case as a legitimate law enforcement matter, while others see it as politically motivated.
The former minister had previously been acquitted in 2023, but a Federal Supreme Court appeal later reinstated the charges for review. The latest verdict reconfirms his acquittal on two counts and upholds the weapons-related conviction.
His lawyer also noted that two additional matters remain unresolved: a complaint to the court regarding alleged human rights violations Taye suffered during detention, and a request for the return of 11 household items seized by security forces during his arrest. The court has not yet issued a decision on those questions.
While the proceedings appear to center on legal and procedural grounds, critics argue that the case reflects a broader pattern in which outspoken political figures face criminal investigations after public criticism of government leadership. Supporters of the government, however, insist that the judiciary is merely applying the law equally, regardless of political stature.
For now, the verdict leaves Taye Dendea partially cleared but still entangled in a lengthy legal process — one that continues to highlight the sensitive balance between political expression and state security in Ethiopia.
