The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released today 3rd Ethiopia’s Annual Human Rights Situation Report (132 pages), covering the period from June 2023 to June 2024. The report provides an overview of the national human rights situation based on the data and evidence collected during the fiscal year, and includes positive developments, concerns, recommendations and issues that require further attention.
As every year, the report highlights issues identified as of key concern in each of EHRC’s thematic areas of work: civil and political rights, socio-economic rights, rights of women and children, rights of persons with disability and the elderly, and rights of refugees, internally displaced persons, and migrants. In addition to a summary assessment of the impact of the State of Emergency Proclamation No. 6/2015 on the human rights situation, it also covers issues related to conditions of detention and treatment of detainees, the human rights monitoring of this year’s elections and of the current state in terms of the country’s human rights obligations at regional and international level.
The report recalls the adoption of Transitional Justice Policy in April 2024 as one of the key developments of the reporting period in terms of its significance for the overall human rights situation.
While some peace processes initiated both at national and regional level are encouraging, for the efforts to lead to a sustainable resolution, processes must be transparent and meaningfully inclusive of all stakeholders, including victims. The report points out that the transitional justice policy process should be victim-centered, credible and transparent, and meet international standards and human rights principles.
Incidents of armed conflicts, attacks or violent clashes have been recorded in most parts of Ethiopia during the reporting period. Civilian suffering, including death and bodily injuries, resulting from measures taken by government forces or armed groups, remains the most pressing human rights concern. The report also shows that human rights violations against civilians in the context of armed conflict are still concerning and in effect have become more widespread. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in armed conflict areas, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly, are particularly vulnerable due to lack of adequate food and basic humanitarian assistance, disruption or interruption of health and education services and other social and economic problems.
Extrajudicial killings of civilians continue to be a concern during the reporting period in areas affected by ongoing or past armed conflicts and, in some cases, outside a context of conflict. This annual human rights situation report also raises the growing problem of kidnapping of civilians, including for ransom, as a grave concern in both Amhara and Oromia regions.
The report indicates that EHRC has been monitoring the human rights situation during the state of emergency that remained in effect for 10 months in the fiscal year. In this context, many people have been subjected to prolonged detention in both regular and non-regular detention centers; many have remained in detention without their whereabouts being disclosed for days or weeks. It is also indicated in the report that even though EHRC’s efforts to monitor and investigate all the reported non-regular detention places have been unsuccessful for various reasons, it has addressed all the complaints by engaging with the relevant administrative and security authorities and, published a number of reports on same.
As detailed in the report, numerous instances of arbitrary detentions, including of media personnel and political party members, which were carried out within the context of the state of emergency but outside the orders of the Command Post established to oversee the implementation of the emergency decree, have been recorded in Addis Ababa, and in Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Oromia, Sidama and Southern Ethiopia regions.
The report also indicates that several incidents of arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances, often said to be due to “ongoing situations”, were recorded in many parts of Ethiopia. Freedom of movement, particularly road transportation, has become challenging due to the security situation in various parts of the country and restrictions arising therefrom. Road blockades by government security forces or armed groups for consecutive days have continued to cause economic and social problems, adversely impacting commodity prices, livelihoods, and access to health and education services, particularly in the Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella and Oromia regions.
During the fiscal year, EHRC has visited a total of 306 police stations and 52 prison centers, as well as 15 non-regular detention centers, including the Awash Arba military training camp. Several improvements have been observed in the monitored police stations and prison centers. However, acts of arbitrary detention, mass detention or detention of persons without court orders and detention in non-regular detention places have been recorded in almost all regions.
In terms of rights of displaced persons, key positive developments include efforts by governmental and non-governmental institutions to provide humanitarian aid, especially food aid; implementation of an integrated and regularly updated information management system in certain IDPs camps; and, various international and local humanitarian organizations’ support for the government’s efforts to ensure full protection and support for refugees and asylum seekers. However, there are notable irregularities at the national level concerning the registration and documentation rights of IDPs. This impedes effective provision of assistance to IDPs and continues to present obstacles against their freedom of movement and access to social services.
The annual report highlights concerns over lack of timely, adequate, uninterrupted, and special-needs-based humanitarian aid and social services for IDPs. The human rights situation of women, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, who are in displacement situation in various parts of the country due to natural and man-made factors, is also very concerning. The rise of human rights violations against women and children, notably incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, in conflict-affected areas, also requires immediate attention and action.
Among key recommendations and emerging issues for further monitoring and follow up in the upcoming fiscal year include the resolution of armed conflicts through peaceful dialogue and the implementation of national consultation and transitional justice processes in a credible manner are of priority. Others include the immediate release of persons in arbitrary or unlawful detention, the reform of laws and policies adversely affecting human rights and the improvement of the treatment of individuals in custody or detention. Calling for immediate attention to socio-economic rights and issues, the report strongly highlights the negative impact of ongoing armed conflicts on the health and education sector in particular and other socio-economic rights compounded by financial and budget deficit.
In his foreword to the 3rd Ethiopia’s Annual Human Rights Situation Report, coinciding with the end of his five-year term, EHRC Chief Commissioner Dr. Daniel Bekele emphasized that “there is no alternative to peaceful means, dialogue, discussion, and transitional justice processes to end the cycle of recurring conflict in Ethiopia and to achieve a lasting solution to the widespread human rights violations that have occurred in this context.” Underscoring the need to implement the transitional justice process in a credible manner, Dr Daniel also urged all stakeholders —including the government, parties engaged in armed conflicts across various regions in the country, and all stakeholders concerned for the human rights situation in the country — to sincerely support and give a chance to the national dialogue and the transitional justice processes.
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