Recent remarks by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) during a parliamentary question-and-answer session with lawmakers in which he leveled a veiled threat against human rights organizations operating in Ethiopia have sparked legitimate concerns about the specter of an unwarranted intrusion by the government. Although he did not single out any institution, the premiere seemed peeved by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), accusing it of advocating the agendas of foreign interests. Arguing, without providing any details or proof, that the reports of human rights abuses are being unduly used for political end, he maintained that human rights institutions need to be free from the influence of both the government and other forces. He claimed that presently they are not subjected to any form pressure at the hands of the government and urged parliamentarians to investigate they are playing in the country.
Ethiopia’s human rights landscape has been complex and challenging, shaped by a multitude of historical, political, and social factors that have consistently undermined the promotion and protection of human rights. Over the past several decades, the country has faced significant obstacles that impeded the establishment of a robust human rights culture. This situation has been compounded by ethnic tensions, political conflicts, government repression, limited freedom of expression, and limited civic space, contributing to widespread human rights violations and a pervasive climate of fear.
One of the principal challenges in Ethiopia’s human rights landscape has been the persistence of political repression. Under the current ruling party and its predecessors, dissent has often been met with heavy-handed responses, including arbitrary arrests, harassment, and intimidation of political opponents, activists, journalists, and civil society groups. The government has utilized repressive laws to curtail freedom of expression, assembly, and association, effectively silencing dissent and limiting public discourse.
The political climate has been characterized by a lack of meaningful political pluralism, with opposition parties frequently facing obstacles that hinder their participation in the political process. Election cycles have been marred by allegations of fraud, violence, and intimidation, raising concerns about the integrity and legitimacy of the democratic process. This authoritarian approach has engendered an environment where fear prevails, discouraging individuals from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights to the fullest and giving rise to simmering discontent.
Following Abiy’s rise to power in April 2018, there was a brief period of optimism regarding human rights improvements. His administration initiated various reforms aimed at liberalizing the political landscape, resulting in the release of political prisoners, the return of exiled political leaders and journalists to Ethiopia, and the annulment of draconian laws that constricted the enjoyment of basic freedoms. The democratic gains these measures represented proved to be short-lived though. The country’s institutions of democracy—the EHRC, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the National Electoral Board—as well as local rights advocates and international human rights bodies have all issued a stream of damning reports demonstrating that egregious violations of constitutionally protected rights continue to be rife even after the prime minster came to office.
The government has consistently held up the relatively short time it has been in office to wave off criticisms that it has failed to honor the promises it made to Ethiopians that the democratic reforms it initiated would be deepened. The main thrust of its argument has been that it takes a long time for democracy to take root in a country like Ethiopia where it has never been practiced. While this defense may have earned the administration a reprieve for some time, it has begun to wane off as the government had more than ample time to achieve concrete results in the over six years it has had to date to deliver on its pledges. As Ethiopia’s human rights record worsens after a brief improvement, it is time for the government to atone for its sins. As such, it is incumbent on it to embrace human rights organizations as allies instead of adversaries and thereby foster a healthier, more dynamic society committed to the principles of democracy and human rights.
