Rights group urges action after documenting 52 cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions

Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for urgent action to ensure accountability and justice after documenting 52 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions between July 2023 and October 2024, with detentions occurring in military camps and undisclosed locations outside Addis Abeba.

In a report released on 23 October 2024, the EHRC outlined cases from regions including Addis Abeba, Amhara, and Oromia. The report detailed how individuals were taken from their homes or workplaces by security forces, often in unmarked vehicles and in the presence of witnesses.

The Commission found that among the detained, 44 individuals were eventually released after being held for periods ranging from one to nine months, while eight remain unaccounted for.

According to the report, some detainees were moved from regular detention facilities to unofficial sites, even after court proceedings had started. Several individuals were reportedly transferred between locations, often blindfolded during transport.

“I was held in solitary confinement for 1 month and 20 days and saw around 60 other people detained in the same place,” said Mechemegeta Andualem, who was released in March 2024 after seven months in what he described as the “Russian Camp” military barracks.

The investigation uncovered a pattern of financial extortion, with some families reportedly paying large bribes to secure the release of detainees. The report highlighted instances where security officers, including one with the rank of major, demanded significant sums from detainees’ families.

The report further found that many detainees were held without formal charges and denied access to legal representation. Some described being confined in facilities lacking basic infrastructure, while others reported threats and physical abuse during interrogations.

Another former detainee, who requested anonymity, described being held in a 2×2 meter dark cell for 16 days without windows or lights, following his detention at Sar Bet Square. He was interrogated every two days regarding alleged links to opposition groups.

The report also documents the transfer of detainees to locations such as Awash Arba, where detainees faced extreme heat, insufficient food, and inadequate sleeping conditions. In several instances, families secured the release of detainees after making payments, often in remote areas.

One detainee reported being moved through multiple sites, including the Oromia Regional Office compound in Qera, and locations along the road to Mexico via Bulgaria Square, before reaching a final detention site.

The report indicates that the Commission’s repeated attempts to obtain responses from the Ministry of Defense regarding detentions in military facilities have been unsuccessful.

The Commission urged an end to the practice of holding individuals in unofficial detention centers, noting the lack of oversight and the inhumane conditions in these facilities.

EHRC Commissioner Rakeb Mesele emphasized that “these practices not only violate the human rights of the victims but also cause significant social and economic harm to their families,” she stated, reiterating the Commission’s call for Ethiopia to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) previously released a similar report detailing systemic rights violations against detainees from 2018 to 2023, including arbitrary detentions and incarceration without court orders, involving various perpetrators such as police and government officials. AS