• Ethiopia: Future of last remaining human rights monitoring NGO in the balance
    Press release
    Feb 1, 2012
    On February 3, 2012, the Cassation Bench of the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia will hear a petition by the Human Rights Council (HRCO), Ethiopia’s oldest human rights organization, to admit an appeal against the freezing of its bank accounts. Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, CIVICUS, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and Human Rights Watch express deep concern at the obstacles and restrictions to which HRCO and other human rights organizations in Ethiopia are now subjected, as illustrated by this case. The decision of the Supreme Court will be of great significance for the future of HRCO’s vital work and for the wider promotion and protection of human rights in Ethiopia.
  • Ethiopia: Terrorism Verdict Quashes Free Speech
    Press release
    Jan 19, 2012

    The Ethiopian Federal High Court on January 19, 2012, convicted three Ethiopian journalists, an opposition leader, and a fifth person under an anti-terrorism law that violates free expression and due process rights. The Ethiopian government should immediately drop the case, release the defendants, and investigate their allegations of torture in detention.

  • Ethiopia: Forced Relocations Bring Hunger, Hardship
    Press release
    Jan 16, 2012
    The Ethiopian government under its “villagization” program is forcibly relocating approximately 70,000 indigenous people from the western Gambella region to new villages that lack adequate food, farmland, healthcare, and educational facilities. State security forces have repeatedly threatened, assaulted, and arbitrarily arrested villagers who resist the transfers.
  • Somaliland: End Forced Return of Refugees
    Press release
    Jan 4, 2012
    The Somaliland authorities should cease forcibly returning refugees and asylum seekers to possible persecution in Ethiopia. On December 28, authorities returned 20 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers in violation of the fundamental international refugee law prohibition against “refoulement,” the forcible return of anyone to persecution or to a place where their life or freedom is threatened.
  • Ethiopia: Journalists Convicted Under Unfair Law
    Press release
    Dec 21, 2011
    An Ethiopian court’s conviction of two Swedish journalists on charges of supporting terrorism after an unfair trial demonstrates that the country’s anti-terrorism law is fundamentally flawed and being used to repress legitimate reporting. In the absence of genuine evidence against the journalists, the government should immediately drop the terrorism charges against them.
  • Ethiopia: Stop Using Anti-Terror Law to Stifle Peaceful Dissent
    Press release
    Nov 21, 2011
    The Ethiopian government should cease using its overly broad anti-terrorism law against journalists and peaceful political activists.
  • Ethiopia: Letter Regarding UK Development Assistance
    Letter
    Sep 29, 2011
    Letter from Jan Egeland, Deputy Executive Director and Europe Director at Human Rights Watch, in response to DFID Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell's September 21, 2011 appearance on BBC’s Newsnight programme in which he discussed Britain’s development aid to Ethiopia and allegations of the misuse of that assistance for political purposes.
  • Regional Anti-terror Campaigns Gone Awry?
    Commentary
    Sep 26, 2011
    Before he was arrested last year in Uganda on terrorism charges, Al Amin Kimathi was hailed as an outspoken activist who challenged East African governments to conduct lawful counterterrorism operations.
  • Ethiopia: Crackdown on Dissent Intensifies
    Press release
    Sep 16, 2011
    The Ethiopian government should end its widening crackdown against opposition politicians and dissidents. In the past week, three well-known critics of the government – actor Debebe Eshetu, journalist Eskinder Nega, and opposition party leader Andualem Aragie – were arrested in Addis Ababa. Three other opposition party members were also detained.
  • Uganda/Eastern Africa: Human Rights Defender Kimathi Vindicated
    Press release
    Sep 12, 2011
    A Ugandan court’s decision to drop terrorism charges against prominent Kenyan human rights defender Al-Amin Kimathi is a welcome step, but the rights of other suspects in the July 2010 Kampala bombings continue to be violated.