Unmet Promises: the widespread and grave civil and political rights violations in Ethiopia
In 2018 Ethiopia introduced a number of vital reforms which led to the release of thousands of detainees, ended the no-war-no-peace status quo with Eretria, expansion of the civic and political space and repeal of draconian laws, such as the Anti-Terrorism and Civil Society Law Proclamations, which were previously used to repress human rights. While initial first steps have been taken towards improving the human rights environment in the country, a persistence of old-style patterns of violence perpetrated by the security forces threatens to derail sustained long-term gain. Extra-judicial killings by the government and non-state actors; enforced disappearance, harsh and life threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention and serious abuses in conflicts including unlawful and widespread civilian harm; unlawful recruitment or use of child soldiers by government forces and militia groups; gender based violence including rape and conflict-related sexual violence and trafficking in person are among the most prevalent incidents causing grave human rights violations in Ethiopia.
The right to life and liberty have been the most threatened rights in the country of the reporting period. The war in the Northern part of the country, conflicts in different regions such as Amhara, Oromia, Benshangule Gumz, and Gambela regions as well as inter-communal conflicts in various areas claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Thousands of the civilians were extra judicially executed by government security forces. The country set a world record for displacements with over 5 million displaced people in 2021. Freedoms of expression, movement, and peaceful assembly have been curtailed. According to Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ), the country has been recorded as the second-worst jailer of journalists in sub-Saharan Africa, in 2023. There has also been widespread arbitrary arrest and detention of innocents in the country. Impunity has continued to be rampant.
In general, despite the promising reforms enforced in 2018 following the appointment of the 2019’s Novel Peace Prise winning Prime Minister – Abiy Ahmed, the human rights situation of Ethiopia has significantly deteriorated and has continued to getting worse. The world has witnessed grave civil, political as well as socio-economic rights violations in Ethiopia.
This alternative report, however, focuses on the major civil and political rights which are also critical for the implementation of other human rights given their interconnectedness. The report is prepared based on the seventh to tenth periodic country reports (2015-2023) of the country.
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- 02.05.23
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