Ethiopia A Long Way To Go In Achieving
Human Rights Implementation
12 July, 2011 | Centre for Civil and Political Rights (press release)
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should have submitted its report, the Committee was finally able to
begin its dialogue with the Ethiopian government.
independent NGOs are no longer allowed to work on human rights
in Ethiopia demonstrates how “the freedom of expression and the
freedom of association and assembly are only guaranteed to those
organizations that are pro-government. If you work on human rights
issues, you will soon find yourself in prison or in exile” said Obang
Metho from Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia.
The Committee has requested further information on the alleged
refusal to register the Ethiopia Women Lawyers Association and the
freezing of the bank accounts of the Ethiopian Human Rights
Council, “both well-known, well-established, and respected
Ethiopian independent human rights organizations” according to
Niels Jacob Harbitz, Regional Manager for East and Horn of Africa
of the Human Rights House Foundation.
Finally the Human Rights Committee echoed the joint NGO report,
which also addressed the difficulties faced by civil society
organisations and the media in Ethiopia “Increasingly severe
restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association and
assembly, have effectively silenced or removed dissenting voices in
Ethiopia to the point that the Ethiopian government now finds itself
without any challenging views and faces little criticism inside the
country,” according to Niels Jacob Harbitz.
At the end of the session the Human Rights Committee will make its
recommendations public. “Ethiopia has a long way to go in achieving
implementation, but a first step on this path would be the
implementation of these recommendations as rapidly as possible in
order to bring Ethiopia’s legislation and practice into line with its
international obligations,” said Hamdi Addow of the Centre for Civil
and Political Rights.
The report can be found on our website: http://www.ccprcentre.
org/en/home/31
Courtesy
Human Rights Implementation
12 July, 2011 | Centre for Civil and Political Rights (press release)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Geneva - Ethiopia was reviewed
on 11th and 12th July 2011 by the
United Nations Human Rights
Committee on the implementation
of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights.
- The Human Rights Committee
welcomed the initial report on the
implementation of the International
should have submitted its report, the Committee was finally able to
begin its dialogue with the Ethiopian government.
- The Committee expressed
serious concerns about anti-
terrorism legislation,
particularly its use against
journalists. The Committee
also referred to the
numerous cases of torture
and ill-treatment, including
in detention facilities.
- In addition, the Human
Rights Committee was
dismayed by the situation
faced by civil society. In
particular, the Committee
noted that the Civil Society
Organisation (CSO)
Proclamation infringes the
independent NGOs are no longer allowed to work on human rights
in Ethiopia demonstrates how “the freedom of expression and the
freedom of association and assembly are only guaranteed to those
organizations that are pro-government. If you work on human rights
issues, you will soon find yourself in prison or in exile” said Obang
Metho from Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia.
The Committee has requested further information on the alleged
refusal to register the Ethiopia Women Lawyers Association and the
freezing of the bank accounts of the Ethiopian Human Rights
Council, “both well-known, well-established, and respected
Ethiopian independent human rights organizations” according to
Niels Jacob Harbitz, Regional Manager for East and Horn of Africa
of the Human Rights House Foundation.
Finally the Human Rights Committee echoed the joint NGO report,
which also addressed the difficulties faced by civil society
organisations and the media in Ethiopia “Increasingly severe
restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association and
assembly, have effectively silenced or removed dissenting voices in
Ethiopia to the point that the Ethiopian government now finds itself
without any challenging views and faces little criticism inside the
country,” according to Niels Jacob Harbitz.
At the end of the session the Human Rights Committee will make its
recommendations public. “Ethiopia has a long way to go in achieving
implementation, but a first step on this path would be the
implementation of these recommendations as rapidly as possible in
order to bring Ethiopia’s legislation and practice into line with its
international obligations,” said Hamdi Addow of the Centre for Civil
and Political Rights.
The report can be found on our website: http://www.ccprcentre.
org/en/home/31
Courtesy
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