To: Prime Minister-, Dr. Abiy Ahmed
Cc: Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representative

Joint civil society letter

 

29 November 2018

Your Excellency,

The undersigned international, regional and national human rights and development organisations write to urge your government to ensure that the draft Charities and Societies (CSO) Proclamation complies with regional and international human rights norms and standards relating to freedom of association. The tabling of the draft law represents a pivotal moment to address long standing deficits in existing legislation, create a robust and resilient civil society and an enabling environment for human rights defenders in Ethiopia. Authorities should ensure that the new text is in line with the African Commission’s Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and international law.

We understand that the draft law developed by the Legal Advisory Council, and currently under consideration by the Office of the Attorney General, is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks. The draft addresses long standing concerns over funding constraints, the intrusive powers of the CSO Agency, and the lack of an appeal process over registration; while it is a marked improvement on the current legal framework governing the operations of CSOs, we remain concerned that it includes a number of unwarranted restrictions on the activities and independence of international and national civil society organisations. [Read more…]

Press Release,

November 2, 2018

AHRE is concerned about recent killings of peaceful demonstrators in Alamata town, Northern Ethiopia, in Afar Regional State and in Gambella Regional State in September and October 2018. These incidents, though spread out in time and location all indicate a growing restriction on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression. [Read more…]

Press Release

21^st October 2018

On October 16, 2018, Ethiopian police arrested and held in custody Henok Aklilu, a young attorney and known human rights defender, and his friend activist Michael Melak. They were brought before a judge in the Federal Criminal First Instance Court at Arada Criminal Bench the following day and accused of organising and inciting instability, opposing Addis Ababa’s administration, particularly the mayor and attending meetings and training sessions at the Embassy of the State of Palestine. This includes standing in solitary with Palestine and Palestinians.

The court has granted a seven day remand but the two were released on October 20, 2018. Michael Melak and Henok Aklilu were denied visits by friends and family and reported being subjected to mistreatment.

On the day of their court appearance, over one thousand youth from Addis Ababa were released. They had been rounded up between September 15 and 22 and taken to Tolay military camp for indoctrination and “retraining.”

The facts known publicly from sources and social media corroborate that there was indeed discussion to form an association. [Read more…]