[
Daniel Bekele (PhD) held his last press conference as the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission’s chief commissioner, presenting the organization’s 3rd Annual Human Rights Situation Report covering June 2023 to June 2024. The report highlighted the ongoing human rights violations in Ethiopia, with armed conflicts leading to civilian casualties and displacement. Despite the conclusion of the two-year war in Northern Ethiopia through a peace agreement between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the region still faces challenges in accessing basic services.
The report also shed light on the complex security situation in the Amhara region, where extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions have been documented. Recent attacks on civilians attending a funeral in Keranio and the subsequent killings in Jiga have raised concerns about the ongoing violence in the region. Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently alleged that Ethiopian security forces have committed war crimes by attacking medical professionals and facilities in the Amhara region.
In response to these accusations, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denied mass killings but acknowledged human rights violations in the country, emphasizing the need for accountability. The State of Emergency in Ethiopia, which lasted for ten months, had a significant impact on human rights, leading to arbitrary detentions and concerns about detention conditions.
The report also addressed the socio-economic impacts of the conflicts, including increased food prices and urgent humanitarian needs in Amhara and Oromia regions. Healthcare services have been severely affected, with restricted mobility and damaged infrastructure.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission’s report concluded with recommendations for improving the human rights situation in the country. It called for the release of individuals held in arbitrary detention, reforms in laws and policies affecting human rights, and peaceful dialogue to address recurring conflicts and human rights violations. The commission stressed the importance of inclusive transitional justice processes to bring about lasting change in Ethiopia.
