Addis Abeba – Amnesty International has called on Ethiopian authorities to end the widespread detention of civilians in the Amhara region, citing what it describes as “arbitrary mass arrests” carried out by federal forces and Amhara regional security since 28 September, 2024.
Thousands of civilians are reportedly held in makeshift camps without formal charges or access to legal representation, According to Amnesty’s report released on Wednesday, 06 November, 2024.
“These detentions highlight a new era of disregard for Ethiopia’s human rights obligations,” stated Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “Mass arbitrary detentions have become a routine tactic in Ethiopia.”
Amnesty’s report details the conditions at four major detention sites in the towns of Dangla, Seraba (Chilga), Chorisa (Kombolcha), and Shewa Robit. Witnesses described overcrowded facilities, with new metal structures being added in some camps to house the increasing number of detainees.
A former detainee at the Dangla camp reported seeing around 1,600 people held there. “They broke into my home with a rifle, arrested me in front of my children, and gave no explanation,” he recounted.
Members of the judiciary have also reportedly been targeted, particularly those who resisted interference in judicial proceedings. Nine judges and several prosecutors remain detained, with no court appearances, according to sources within the judicial community.
“All arrests are directly related to their professional duties,” one source said. Another experienced judge commented on the situation, stating, “In my nearly 30 years of service, I’ve never witnessed this level of lawlessness.”
Previously, the Amhara Region Judges’ Association has condemned the ongoing detention of judges across the Amhara region, reporting that over 35 judges were “unjustly detained and later released” in the past year, with eight judges still in detention.
Additionally, Amnesty has documented the detention of 11 academic staff from Wollo University, who were held in the Chorisa camp for over a month before being brought to court this week. The report points to an ongoing crackdown on dissent, with journalists and human rights defenders also facing increased harassment.
A similar report by the Human Rights Commission on October 23 documented 52 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions between July 2023 and October 2024 in the Amhara and Oromia regions, as well as in the capital, Addis Abeba. 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.
Amnesty International is urging African and global human rights organizations to engage with Ethiopian officials to prevent further rights abuses. “Failure to act will only embolden authorities, fueling cycles of human rights violations not only in the region but across Ethiopia,” warned Chagutah.
The Amhara region has been plagued by militarized conflict for the past 14 months between government forces and non-state Fano militias.
The conflict has escalated more recently following the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Amhara regional government’s joint announcement on October 2024 that they will continue what they describe as “law enforcement operations” until “peace is fully restored.”
Addressing the parliament on 31 October, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated that the government has continued talks with “some members” of the armed groups operating in the Amhara and Oromia regions. AS
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