Ethiopian Authorities Suspend Three Human Rights Organizations Amid Growing Civic Crackdown
In a move drawing sharp criticism from human rights advocates, Ethiopian authorities have suspended three prominent human rights organizations, escalating concerns about shrinking civic space in the country.
The Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) suspended the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), and the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE) in mid-November 2024, alleging “lack of political neutrality” and activities “against national interests.”
Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, strongly condemned the suspensions. “These allegations have long been used by Ethiopian authorities as tools to suppress civil society organizations,” Chagutah stated, calling on the federal government to immediately reverse the suspensions.
The organizations targeted by the suspensions reject the accusations. CARD has highlighted procedural irregularies and reaffirmed its commitment to impartiality and human rights. Both LHR and AHRE are pursuing legal remedies to challenge their suspension.
The crackdown comes against a backdrop of escalating regional conflicts. Chagutah emphasized the critical role of civil society and media, particularly amid reports of mass arbitrary detentions and forced evictions in regions like Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray.
Amnesty International is urging the international community to take decisive action. The organization has called on Ethiopia’s development partners to prioritize human rights in their engagement with the government and pressed the UN Human Rights Council to establish a mechanism for investigating and documenting human rights violations in the ongoing conflicts.
The suspensions raise significant concerns about freedom of association and expression in Ethiopia, potentially undermining the country’s human rights landscape and international commitments.
