We welcome Ethiopia’s decision to release 115 federal detainees on Wednesday 17 January, including several leading political figures.
The ruling Coalition has also indicated that cases against some 400 other detainees held at the regional level are being discontinued.
These are positive developments. We urge the Government to continue to take steps to release individuals detained for expressing their political views, including those who may have been detained for trying to exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion.
The Attorney General has indicated that detainees eligible for release exclude those suspected of murder, causing injury, destruction of infrastructure, and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order by force. We appreciate the seriousness of some of these offences that may have been committed, but we urge the Government to ensure that these conditions are neither interpreted nor implemented too broadly, thereby resulting in people being wrongfully detained. We recall that pretrial detention should be the exception and not the rule and should be based on an individualized assessment.
The Government has also announced that there will be investigations into recent instances of violence and killings and that those responsible will be held to account. Such investigations should be prompt, independent, impartial, transparent, effective and thorough. We recall that the High Commissioner during his visit to Ethiopia in May 2017 requested the Ethiopian Government to consider giving the Office access to areas affected by protests and violence in Ethiopia to assist the authorities in creating a stable and open democratic space for all its people.
The Government has stated its willingness to review legislation. Such a review should prioritize bringing anti-terrorism legislation and laws regarding civil society and the media in line with international human rights law and principles. We stand ready to offer our support with regard to such a review.
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