Four months have passed since the Ethiopian government launched a widespread campaign of mass arbitrary detentions in the Amhara region, yet the international community remains largely silent. On September 28, 2024, Ethiopian federal forces and Amhara regional security forces conducted thousands of arrests across the region, transferring detainees to four mass detention centers. Among those arbitrarily detained were judges, prosecutors, academics, civil servants, and ordinary citizens, many of whom were taken without formal charges or due legal process.
The Ethiopian authorities have justified these detentions as part of a security operation amid ongoing clashes between the military and armed Amhara groups. However, eyewitness accounts and reports from International Human Rights organisations indicate that these arrests were carried out without legal warrants, violating both national and international human rights standards. Many detainees were denied access to legal representation and were held without being presented before a court within the legally required 48-hour period
Amnesty International has condemned these detentions as a blatant violation of fundamental rights, describing them as a “travesty of justice.”The organisation states that “The international silence over the mass arbitrary detention of thousands in the Amhara region is beyond shameful. Ethiopia’s development partners, along with African and global human rights bodies, must speak out and demand the immediate release of those unjustly detained. The world cannot continue turning a blind eye to Ethiopia’s human rights crisis.”
While some individuals—including members of the judiciary, women, elderly detainees, and individuals with chronic illnesses—were released in January 2025, thousands remain imprisoned without charge or trial. These detentions have also taken place in the broader context of a shrinking democratic space, with the Ethiopian government recently suspending four prominent human rights organisations, including one that had been active for over 32 years.
Furthermore, reports suggest that Ethiopian authorities have engaged in harassment, intimidation, and attacks against journalists and human rights defenders, forcing many into exile. This systematic suppression of critical voices has severely undermined efforts to document ongoing rights violations, particularly in conflict-affected areas like the Amhara region. Arrests have been indiscriminate, with members of the academic community at federal universities among those detained. Some were reportedly taken from their homes late at night by security forces, raising concerns about enforced disappearances and extrajudicial actions.
The Ethiopian government must immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals or formally charge them with internationally recognized crimes, ensuring due legal process. The arbitrary detention of thousands of citizens without charge constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights and must end immediately.
As Rightsdefenders Initiative (RDI), we firmly oppose these actions and demand justice for the victims. The international community must take a stand, exert pressure on the Ethiopian authorities, and hold them accountable for their continued disregard for the rule of law.
https://www.tolerance.ca/ArticleExt.aspx?ID=572686&L=en
https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/ethiopia
