The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) held a consultative discussion on the findings and recommendations from its human rights monitoring of police stations in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on May 7, 2026, in Bambasi
The discussion brought together representatives from the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional Council Legal and Justice Administration Standing Committee, the Regional Police Commission, and police departments from various zones, woredas, special districts, and city administrations.
During the discussion, positive developments, areas of concern, and recommendations identified during the monitoring were presented and discussed. Positive developments highlighted included improvements regarding unlawful detentions and restrictions on family visits, ongoing renovations, and expansion of detention facilities in certain areas, and budget allocation in some police stations for the provision of food to suspects.
On the other hand, it was noted that several concerning issues persist in some police stations and require urgent improvement. These include failure to take administrative and legal action against police officers who violate suspects’ rights; arrests conducted without court orders; failure to bring detainees before a court within the legally prescribed timeframe; extrajudicial mass arrests; overcrowding of detention cells, and lack of access to clean drinking water.
Participants of the discussion emphasized the necessity of working diligently to resolve persistent challenges and to ensure human rights-centered protection of suspects’ rights across the region.
Begashaw Eshetu, EHRC’s Regional Director, underlined that police institutions bear a significant responsibility in respecting, protecting, and fulfilling the human rights of persons in custody. He further stated that all stakeholders must work in collaboration to ensure a human rights-centered treatment of suspects across the region through the effective implementation of EHRC’s recommendations.