Broken promises: escalating human rights violations in Ethiopia

The World organisation against torture (OMCT) and its network member the Ethiopian human rights Council (EHRCO) have documented two decades of torture against human rights defenders and political activists in reports published in 20211 and 2022 on Ethiopia. It appears that the government security forces have adopted a punitive strategy in conflict regions with an excessive use of force and resumed systematically using torture despite having started important democratic changes and reforms in 2018. On the other hand, the government is resuming its old habits in the repression of dissenting voices, in particular human rights defenders and political opponents and violation of the due process. Arbitrary arrests, torture incommunicado and secret detention placer have resumed. This report shows that the government of Ethiopia is stepping back on its human rights obligations.