Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia

Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia Launches New Report on the prison condition in Ethiopia

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PDF: Ethiopian-prisoner-and-their-accounts-of-torture.rep2018.pdf

February 9, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

The Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2nd report, “Ethiopian political prisoners and their accounts of torture”. This report aims to provide an overview of the prison situation in Ethiopia, with a special focus on the different forms of abuses prisoners are subjected with in different prisons in Ethiopia.

In the past three years, following the protests in different parts of the country, mainly in Amhara and Oromia regions, the number of detainees has dramatically soared, that in turn augmented the reports of abuse in Ethiopia’s prisons. Furthermore, detainees accused of burning Qilinto prison have also reported to suffer torture during interrogations, mainly to extract forced confessions that implicate the detainees to the crime. Many have testified in court to enduring varying degree of abuses at the hands of security officers. The abuses include beatings; verbal, physical and psychological harassment; solitary confinement; denying medical access etc.

This report documents and brings to attention some of the abuses and ill-treatments committed against prisoners detaineed in recent years, mainly following Amhara and Oromo protests, and those charged for allegedly setting Qilinto prison ablaze. In addition, the report also takes a closer look at investigations conducted by Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, under the court’s order, and discusses the findings and its implications.

To read full report in PDF: Ethiopian-prisoner-and-their-accounts-of-torture.rep2018.pdf

Contacts:

Yared Hailemariam – Executive Director
Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE)

Phone +32 486 336367/ +41 797768773
Email: [email protected]

Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia Launches New Report on Human Rights in Ethiopia

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30 January 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE) is pleased to announce the launch of its new report, “Ailing Civic Space in an Authoritarian State: The State of Human Rights Defenders and Cost of Dissent in Ethiopia.” This report aims to provide an overview of the situation of human rights in Ethiopia and to examine the increasingly restricted space in which human rights defenders (HRDs) operate, with particular attention to trends that have developed since the adoption of a series of repressive laws in 2009. While the Ethiopian government has made considerable strides in economic development, space for human rights dialogue has gradually disintegrated and many HRDs now face detention, torture, and harassment, while growing numbers now choose life in exile rather than remaining in the country.

After the highly controversial 2005 national elections, the Ethiopian Parliament enacted legislation that dramatically narrowed space for civil society, notably the Charities and Societies Proclamation, Mass Media Proclamation, and the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. These three laws have been heavily criticised for their restrictive provisions, which limit the work of journalists, HRDs, and civil society organisations through broad language and severe punishments.

Over the past two years, Ethiopia has been rocked by growing protest movements in different parts of the country, notably in the two most populous regions of Oromia and Amhara, and to a lesser extent the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR). Security officials responded to these mass protests with excessive force, which resulted in the killing of over a thousand people and the arrests of tens of thousands of demonstrators since 2014. These actions triggered timid condemnations from Ethiopia’s key partners and outcry from international human rights bodies. The widespread and deadly demonstrations led the government to declare a State of Emergency in October 2016 that lasted 10 months.

This report aims to document the deterioration of civic space in Ethiopia and the restrictions on HRDs, activists, bloggers, and other media professionals, which can be seen as roots of the current political crisis. This includes actions undertaken to limit the actions of non-governmental organisations, journalists, lawyers, and other professional and non-professional activities that aims to further the cause of human rights. By documenting the deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia, it is the intention of AHRE to provide human rights institutions, civil society, and concerned bodies with adequate source material to direct their efforts in addressing the overall conditions of HRDs and work towards rebuilding and strengthening civic space in Ethiopia. The report also features key recommendations to the government of Ethiopia, European Union, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, United Nations, donors, and allies.

Full report in PDF:AilingCivicSpace_large

Contacts:

Yared Hailemariam – Executive Director
Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE)

Phone +32 486 336367
Email: [email protected]
https://ahrethio.org/

Ethiopia: AHRE condemns killings of civilians in Woldia town during a religious festival

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Press Statement

22nd January, 2018

Ethiopian security forces have shot and killed individuals who had convened to celebrate a religious festival on 20th January 2018 in Weldia, a town in Amhara region, northern Ethiopia.  This triggered more anti-government demonstrations in the town in the following two days, which led to more casualties. The exact number of the deceased is not yet confirmed, but multiple sources put the number as high as 12; several others also sustained gun shots.

According to reports, federal forces shot at civilians who were chanting anti-government songs at the annual St. Michael’s Day, in the aftermath of the national Epiphany holiday. The local police head, Commander Amare Goshu told national TV that “security forces fired at crowds, because they were throwing stones at security forces”. [Read more…]