NAIROBI, Kenya — Amnesty International has raised fresh concerns over the state of human rights in Ethiopia, warning of entrenched impunity, ongoing armed conflict, and a shrinking civic space despite years of calls for reform.
In its latest report, The State of the World’s Human Rights 2026, the organisation said there has been “no justice and accountability” for crimes committed during the Tigray War, nearly three years after active hostilities subsided.
Amnesty noted that accountability efforts have stalled, with the country’s transitional justice process remaining largely inactive. “Impunity for past and ongoing violations persisted,” the report states, pointing to systemic failures to investigate and prosecute alleged abuses.
The watchdog further highlighted continued violations in conflict-affected regions, particularly Amhara and Oromia, indicating that human rights concerns extend beyond Tigray and remain widespread.
On displacement, the report draws attention to forced evictions in Addis Ababa, where authorities have cleared informal settlements under the government’s Corridor Development Project.
While officials describe the initiative as a strategy to improve infrastructure and housing, Amnesty said its implementation has led to “violent forced eviction” of thousands, leaving many residents homeless and without compensation.
The organisation also accused authorities of suppressing dissent linked to the evictions, alleging harassment of residents and intimidation of journalists covering the issue.
“These actions have left many people homeless and destitute,” the report noted, warning that such measures exacerbate an already severe internal displacement crisis driven by conflict and development policies.
Beyond displacement, Amnesty raised alarm over legislative proposals that could further restrict civil liberties. A planned amendment to Ethiopia’s civil society law, it said, risks undermining judicial oversight and concentrating power within the executive, effectively narrowing civic space.
The report also documented arrests tied to a nationwide strike by medical professionals in 2025, during which more than 140 workers were detained for protesting low wages and poor working conditions. Some were reportedly held for nearly a month.
Women and girls continue to bear a disproportionate burden of the ongoing crises, Amnesty said, citing persistent conflict-related sexual violence and a lack of meaningful justice or reparations for survivors, particularly in Tigray. Outside conflict zones, gender-based violence has worsened, partly due to the weakened rule of law.
On refugee rights, the organisation accused Ethiopian authorities of unlawfully deporting at least 600 Eritrean refugees to Eritrea, where returnees face risks including detention, enforced disappearance, and forced conscription.
Amnesty had earlier urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to intervene, citing an escalation in forced returns amid rising tensions along the Ethiopia–Eritrea border.
The findings come at a time when Ethiopia continues to navigate post-conflict recovery alongside ongoing regional instability. Amnesty warned that without urgent reforms, accountability mechanisms, and protections for civil liberties, the country risks deepening its human rights crisis.
