Skip to content
Facebook XYouTube Linkedin Flicker TikTok Instagram WhatsApp Telegram
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission – EHRC
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Regions
        • Regions

          EHRC is an independent federal institution tasked with the promotion and protection of human rights in Ethiopia.

        • Addis Ababa
        • Afar
        • Amhara
        • Benishangul Gumuz
        • Gambella
        • Oromia
        • Somali
        • Tigray
        • Central Ethiopia
        • Dire Dawa
        • Harari
        • Sidama
        • South Ethiopia
        • South West Ethiopia Peoples'
  • Areas of Work
        • Areas of Work

          We are an independent national human rights institution tasked with the promotion & protection of human rights in Ethiopia.

        • Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
        • Civil & Political Rights
        • IDPs, Refugees & Migrants’ Rights
        • Rights of Persons with Disabilities & the Rights of Older Persons
        • Women’s & Children’s Rights
        • Human Rights Education
        • Human Rights Monitoring & Investigation
        • Human Rights Film Festival
        • Human Rights Moot Court Competition
  • Press Releases
  • Reports
  • Media
    • EHRC on the News
    • EHRC Newsletters
    • EHRC Videos
    • EHRC Visuals
  • Latest
    • Expert Views
    • Explainers
    • Event Updates
    • Annual Ethiopia Human Rights Situation Reports
  • Resources
 
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission – EHRCEthiopian Human Rights Commission – EHRC

Oromia: Law enforcement operation should be lawful

May 6, 2021July 16, 2021 Press Release

EHRC expresses serious concern over treatment of detainees across Oromia

Twitter Facebook Telegram Email Whatsapp Download Print

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC/Commission) expresses serious  concern over the treatment of detainees in detention centres across Oromia region.  During the period from November 20, 2020 to January 12, 2021, the Commission  deployed monitoring teams at 21 selected police stations where a large number of  prisoners who are said to be arrested in connection with what the local authorities  describe as “the current situation” (“haala yeroo”) are being detained, particularly those  arrested following the assassination of artist Hachalu Hundesa. In the process of  monitoring the police stations that have been the source of repeated complaints,  discussions were held with detainees as well as the relevant officials of the police stations.  Furthermore, the Commission sought feedback of the concerned law enforcement and  administrative bodies of the region concerning the findings of the monitoring exercise.  

EHRC is alarmed by the conditions of detention at the police stations and believes grave  violations of human rights have been committed. The Commission has learned that the  detention centers house a large number of people who had been arrested without court  orders in connection with “the current situation”. Credible testimonies were received that  many of the prisoners were detained without a formal investigation opened against them and that they had not been brought before court within the time prescribed by the law. In addition, many of the police stations have been holding suspects whose charges were dropped by prosecutors or who were supposed to be released in accordance with a court order. Those prisoners were nevertheless arbitrarily detained on the basis of the allegation that they are “core” suspects with new charges typically invoked against them by the police.  

Officials at various police stations claim that the cases of those detained in connection  with “the current situation” are to be handled by security councils (“Mana maree  nageenyaa”) at the zonal and woreda levels. The practice has placed the fate of a large number of detainees in the hands of political (administrative) organs by denying them  access to legally established courts.  

Some of the detainees at the police stations reported being beaten during police arrests  and while in detention, and the monitoring teams observed detainees who had open  wounds in various parts of their body and those displaying temporary or permanent  physical disabilities. Furthermore, EHRC has received diverse testimonies about the  practice of arresting family members of suspects in some areas that includes arresting a  father or mother to demand that they present their children who are suspected of being members or supporters of OLF Shane or arresting a wife to present her husband  suspected of association with OLF Shane. Several detainees also reported extortion  practices by members of the police who demand payment and threaten detention and  charges of association with OLF Shane unless provided. 

There were female detainees in all the police stations visited, some of them with children  between the ages of 5 months and 10 years. On the other hand, children between the ages  of 9 and 18 detained on suspicion of involvement in criminal activity are being held at  various police stations along with adults, contrary to Article 172 of the Criminal  Procedure Code requiring their release on unconditional bail.  

In most of the police stations observed, detainees are held in unhygienic and  overcrowded rooms which pose serious health risks. Most of the detainees face dire  conditions as a result of the absence of food supply in the detention centres coupled with  lack of access to water, sanitation, and medical services. 

In its response to EHRC’s findings, the Oromia Attorney General stated that it had  investigated the matter and denied violations of human rights of detainees in the region. 

EHRC Chief Commissioner Daniel Bekele noted that treatment of detainees in the region needs to be addressed urgently and emphasized that the cases of those subjected to prolonged arbitrary detention be investigated and brought to court in an expedited manner, police officers responsible for human rights abuses be held to account, utmost priority be given to children and women suspects including by ensuring that all children arrested on suspicion of involvement in criminal activities be released on an unconditional bail pursuant to the law.  

The chief commissioner added, “special attention needs to be paid to making sure that  the trial of persons suspected of crimes be handled only by the regular courts and court  orders are duly complied with by the regional authorities.”

Download full report: በኦሮሚያ ክልል ውስጥ በሚገኙ 21 ፖሊስ ጣቢያዎች ላይ የተደረገ የክትትል ሪፖርት

Related posts

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021 Press Release
Addis Ababa: The Arrest and Condition of Persons Detained in Connection With the State of Emergency Requires Urgent Attention
September 4, 2021September 8, 2021 EHRC Quote
Benishangul-Gumuz Region: Detentions and unlawful arrests
April 25, 2021May 21, 2021 Press Release
Commemoration of the African Day for the Protection of Persons in Pre-trial Detention
March 9, 2021May 22, 2021 Press Release
Addis Ababa: Prison conditions of suspects detained in connection with the situation in Tigray

Signup for the Latest Update from EHRC

Submit your email to singup
Facebook Like us on FacebookXFollow us on XYouTube Follow us on YouTubeLinkedin Follow us on LinkedinWhatsApp WhatsAppTikTok TikTokTelegram TelegramInstagram InstagramFlicker Flickr

Useful Links

  • NANHRI
  • GANHRI
  • OHCHR
  • ACHPR
  • TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE

Get Involved

  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Contact Us
  • Telegram Bot
  • Subscribe to our newsletter

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
Descriptive Text

We are an independent
national human rights
institution tasked with
the promotion and protection of human
rights in Ethiopia.

Submit your email to get the latest update from EHRC

Address: Sunshine Tower No. 5, Meskel Square, on Bole Road next to Hyatt Regency Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251115504031 | Fax: +251 11 550 4125 | PO Box 1165 Addis Ababa | Email: info@ehrc.org


The contents of this website, excepting third party content for which the Commission bears no responsibility,
may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that any such reproduction is accompanied by an acknowledgement of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Source of images used in the content of this website: EHRC Media and Communications Department Archive and Creative Common License.

This website is managed by the Media and Communications team of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

Scroll to top
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Regions
    • Addis Ababa
    • Afar
    • Amhara
    • Benishangul Gumuz
    • Central Ethiopia
    • Dire Dawa
    • Gambella
    • Harari
    • Oromia
    • Sidama
    • Somali
    • South Ethiopia
    • South West Ethiopia Peoples’
    • Tigray
  • Areas of Work
    • Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
    • Civil & Political Rights
    • IDPs, Refugees & Migrants’ Rights
    • Rights of Persons with Disabilities & the Rights of Older Persons
    • Human Rights Monitoring & Investigation
    • Women’s & Children’s Rights
    • Human Rights Education
    • Human Rights Film Festival
    • Human Rights Moot Court Competition
  • Press Releases
  • Reports
  • Media
    • EHRC on the News
    • EHRC Newsletters
    • EHRC Videos
    • EHRC Visuals
  • Latest
    • Expert Views
    • Explainers
    • Event Updates
    • Annual Ethiopia Human Rights Situation Reports
  • Resources
Facebook XYouTube Linkedin Flicker TikTok Instagram WhatsApp Telegram
Search
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission - EHRC
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.