The Ethiopian government has suspended the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRD), according to the Civil Society Organizations Authority.
The EHRCO has reportedly faced intimidation and threats from government security forces for several months, which recently led its director general, Dan Yirga, to flee the country.
These suspensions are part of a broader government crackdown on civil society organisations in Ethiopia.
The government had previously lifted a ban on the Centre for the Advancement of Democracy and Rights and Lawyers for Human Rights, only to reimpose it recently, citing a failure to implement corrective measures.
Earlier, Human Rights Watch has condemned these suspensions, calling on the Ethiopian government to reverse its decision and allow these organisations to operate freely.
In December, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for the Ethiopian authorities to immediately reverse the suspensions of three independent human rights organizations and allow them to operate without restrictions. The rights watchdog also demanded that Ethiopia’s partners publicly condemn the government’s actions against civil society organizations.
According to HRW, since 14 November, 2024, the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO), a government body that oversees civil society groups, has issued suspension letters to the Centre for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). These actions have forced the organizations to cease their work. The letters alleged that the organisations were politically biased and engaged in activities that “undermined national interest.”
“Ethiopian authorities are squeezing shut whatever space remains for independent rights groups to operate in the country,” said Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government’s latest assault shows that Ethiopia remains among the most inhospitable places to criticize government actions and promote human rights.”
The situation in Ethiopia is alarming, with reports of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and attacks on civilians. The international community has expressed concerns about Ethiopia’s human rights record, and organisations like Human Rights Watch are urging the government to take concrete steps to address these issues.
