While legitimate antiterrorism laws have been enacted in a number of countries, these critics of. The report examines how the law, enacted in 2009, is a tool of repression, designed and used by the ethiopian government to silence its critics. In july 2011, the government publicly dedicated the ahbash sect as the officially recognized traditional ethiopian islam 2011 proclamation. Terrorism by anti terrorism law lately, meles zenawi, the dictator in ethiopia, has been rounding up dissidents, journalists, opposition party political leaders and members under a diktat known as antiterrorism proclamation no. This paper analyses ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to. Examples of ethiopia s misuse of its anti terrorism law. The accused were charged in october 2012 under the antiterrorism proclamation 6522009, after sustained protests by ethiopian muslims against interference by the government during elections of the islamic supreme council. Ethiopian revenues and customs authority or any concerned regulatory authority. Articles 5 and 63, ethiopian human rights commission establishment proclamation, federal negarit gazeta, proclamation no. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to freedom of expression posted. Ethiopia s highly controversial anti terrorism law, proclamation no. M scholarinresidence at the center for human rights and global justice.
The law defines acts of terrorism as including damage to property and disruption to any public service, for which an individual could be. This diktat approved on a 28691 vote of the rubberstamp parliament is so arbitrary and capricious that. The 20 edition of the human rights and democracy report of the government of the united kingdom uk severely criticized the government of ethiopia for its application of its antiterrorism proclamation and the charities and societies proclamation, which hampers the activity of the opposition camp of the country. Whereas, terrorism is a danger to the peace, security and development of the country and a serious threat to the peace and security of the world at large. Equally important the prisoners accounts also exemplify the ways ethiopian authorities, in violation of constitutional and international obligations.
In principle, the antiterrorism proclamation and the existing criminal code have high requirements for government prosecutors to prove intent in charges against the press, according to legal experts and cpj analysis. The ethiopian government has used the antiterrorism proclamation to jail journalists and opposition party members for peacefully exercising their freedoms of expression and association. Ethiopia uses antiterror laws to silence critical journalists. Duration of crime investigation quandary under ethiopian. Part one general part two terrorism and related crimes part three. In the past four months, authorities have used sweeping terrorism laws to detain six independent journalists in an attempt to wipe out.
Ethiopias highly controversial antiterrorism law, proclamation no. Data privacy law and practice in ethiopia international. This diktat approved on a 28691 vote of the rubberstamp parliament is so arbitrary and capricious that human rights watch. Ethiopian government and opposition start talks on. Pdf the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of. Ahbashization has generated significant conflict between the ethiopian government and muslim communities. Ethiopias ruling coalition started talks with opposition groups on wednesday on amending provisions of an antiterrorism law that critics say has criminalised dissent, stateaffiliated media said.
M 0 0 scholarinresidence at the center for human rights and global justice, new york university, school of law, usa since its enactment on july 2009, ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation is at the. Amnesty proclamation 10962018 ratified by the parliament. The court convicted these individuals last month under provisions of the 2009 antiterrorism law antiterrorism proclamation, proclamation no. Cite as, national legislative bodies national authorities, ethiopia. Copy of the proclamation is attached to this comment, see appendix 1. Antiterrorism proclamation 6522009 under article 20 declared that the court before which an arrested person is presented in accordance with article 19 of the proclamation, may give an order to remand the suspect for investigation or trial. It confirms that the law is designed and used by the ethiopian government as a tool of. This practice raises serious concerns about the extent to which ethiopians can rely upon their constitutionally guaranteed rights to afford the protection that. Before the csp, there was no law that specifically. Corruption crimes proclamation, page 8152 proclamation no, 88112015 a proc lamation to proylne eor the crimes of corrllptiqn wehreas, it is fou nd necessary to clarify and amend some provisions in the criminal code of il,e 2004 of ihe federal democratic republic of ethiopia relating to corruption crimes which are. In contrast, rule by law rule by diktat has made zenawis socalled antiterrorism law antiterrorism proclamation no.
Striking the balance between conforming to human rights. The proclamation was adopted on 7 july 2009 and came into force upon its publication in the federal negarit gazeta of the federal democratic republic of ethiopia official gazette 15th year no. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to freedom of expression. Home resources digital legal library antiterrorism proclamation no. Antiterrorism legislation further restricts ethiopian. Terrorism by antiterrorism law lately, meles zenawi, the dictator in ethiopia, has been rounding up dissidents, journalists, opposition party political leaders and members under a diktat known as antiterrorism proclamation no. Based on earlier drafts of the law previously made available to amnesty international, acts of terrorism are vaguely defined and could encompass the legitimate expression of political dissent. Mengistu aide faces fresh war crimes charges for ethiopia genocide. The use and abuse of antiterrorism law, the case of ethiopia. A thesis submitted for the degree of phd at the university. This article is the right of thought, opinion and expression.
This proclamation may be cited as the anti terrorism proclamation no. A tool to stifle dissent, by the oakland institute and the environmental defender law center, authored by lawyers including representatives from leading international law firms, unravels the 2009 proclamation. The stories also affirm ethiopias governments politicized use of the ominous antiterrorism proclamation, and the inability of the justice system to protect the safety of prisoners. Ethiopian antiterrorism law archives ethiopian legal brief. African commission on human and peoples rights, antiterrorism, antiterrorism proclamation, article 19 of the iccpr, convention on the prevention and combating of terrorism, eskinder nega. Pdf this article analyses the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression and. Whereas, terrorism is a danger to the peace, security and development of the country and a serious threat to the peace and security of the world at. Measures to control terrorist organizations and property part six institutions that followup cases of terrorism part seven. The gilgel gibe iii dam is a 250 m high rollercompacted concrete dam with an associated hydroelectric power plant on the omo river in ethiopia. A tool to stifle dissent, authored by lawyers from leading international law firms, provides an indepth and damning analysis of ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation. Time to repeal antiterrorism law in ethiopia inter. Federal democratic republic of ethiopia, antiterrorism proclamation no.
In practice, however, ethiopian judges have leniently interpreted these requirements, giving them little or no consideration. An examination of ethiopias anti terrorism proclamation. Once fully commissioned, it will be the third largest hydroelectric plant in africa with a power output of about 1870 megawatt. Preamble of ethiopian anti t errorism proclamation no. Article 3 of the proclamation provides for a definition of a terrorist act. It is located about 62 km 39 mi west of sodo in the southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region. The ethiopian house of peoples representatives has voted into law a new amnesty law that grants amnesty to persons convicted of a number of political crimes including those found guilty of committing crimes punishable under the infamous antiterrorism proclamation as well as crimes punishable on the basis of various provisions of the criminal code of ethiopia. American civil liberties union antiterrorism, crime and security act 2001. The use and abuse of antiterrorism law, the case of ethiopia zelalem kibret 0 ll. Definitions in this proclamation, unless the context otherwise requires. Pdf the scope of definition of a terrorist act under. On wednesday 17 july 20, members of the european parliaments subcommittee on human rights visited ethiopia and urged the government to release journalists and opposition activists imprisoned under the countrys anti.