It confirms that the law is designed and used by the ethiopian government as a tool of. Article 19 comments on anti terrorism proclamation article 19 today issues its analysis of the ethiopian antiterrorism proclamation 2009 and calls for the government to fully recognise the right to freedom of expression under international and regional human rights law. Journalists remain in detention under antiterror proclamation. In this paper, i discuss how the antiterrorism proclamation of 2009 hereafter referred to as the eatp or the proclamation has been appropriated to stifle freedom of expression. The proclamation has been used by the regime to charge and imprison opposition party members, journalists and dissidents who criticise the regime or exercise their. Some points on the ethiopian antiterrorism law from human rights perspective. This paper analyses ethiopia s draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights standards.
The law gives leeway to criminalize innocent acts of individuals who are critical of government policies. Analysis of ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation march 9, 2009 summary this paper analyses ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights standards. Proclamation means the revised anti corruption special procedure and rules of evidence proclamation no. 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. The provisions of this law that impact freedom of expression are discussed in this article. The government used the antiterrorism proclamation atp and other measures to restrict organized opposition and anti government protests, including through the detention and prosecution of muslims engaged in protests against what the protestors said was continued government interference in religious affairs. 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. This proclamation may be cited as the antiterrorism proclamation no.
The use and abuse of antiterrorism law, the case of ethiopia. Otherwise, it is well known that both ethiopias civil society and its media scene has suffered massively since 2005, and particularly since the proclamation of the cso and antiterrorism laws. The draft law is due for consideration in the council of ministers. The new law was drafted by the federal attorney general office of ethiopia to protect the peace and security of the people and the government from the threats of terrorism. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to. Proclamation means the revised anticorruption special procedure and rules of evidence proclamation no. 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. Esat news january 18, 2018 ethiopias ruling party says changes would not be made to the draconian antiterrorism proclamation atp, let alone scrapping the law altogether.
Open request on ethiopia antiterrorism law, proclamation 6522009 united nations secretary general, his excellency ban kimoon prime minster of ethiopia, au chair person his excellency hilemariam desalgne president of ethiopia, his excellency girma woldegiorgis african union commissioner chairperson, his excellency dr nkosazana dlamini zuma. Addis abeba, march 62017 as fresh terrorism charges against several individuals surge following the yearlong public protests that led to the current state of emergency, prosecutors in ethiopia have today charged a group of 76 individuals with various articles of ethiopias infamous antiterrorism proclamation atp according to the charges in. 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. In relation to this, proclamation no 6522009 designates the house of. Ethiopian federal high court convicted two swedish journalists on. Part one general part two terrorism and related crimes part three preventive and. This practice raises serious concerns about the extent to which ethiopians can rely upon their constitutionally guaranteed rights to afford the protection that. Ethiopian government and opposition start talks on. Ethiopia, 2015 government defence anticorruption index. Zelalem begins by explaining the global definition gap to the term terrorism which gave the chance for states fill it in a. Analysis of ethiopias draft antiterrorism law human.
This paper analyses ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to. By blain biset, ips addis ababa, dec 6 2012 ips ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation is once again stirring debate in this horn of africa nation as lawyer temam ababulga challenges the 2009 law in the highlypublicised muslim terrorism case. Comment on ethiopian antiterrorism proclamation article 19, london. An examination of ethiopias anti terrorism proclamation. 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.
Proclamation on antiterrorism, published in the federal negarit gazeta of the federal republic of ethiopia on 28 august 2009 proclamation against international standards on freedom of expression. How much do you know about misuse of ethiopias anti. While legitimate antiterrorism laws have been enacted in a number of countries, these critics of ethiopias. This diktat approved on a 28691 vote of the rubberstamp parliament is so arbitrary and capricious that. The detainees had been charged with crimes under the antiterrorism proclamation and. This prevents a fundamental, critical public engagement with government policy, or even the dissemination of relevant information. The impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of expression conference paper pdf available in ssrn electronic journal may 2017 with 4,203 reads how we measure reads. The enactment results from an acknowledgment that terrorism is a threat to human rights, peace and security of not only the people in ethiopia, but to the rest of the world preamble of ethiopia antiterrorism proclamation, 2009. Analysis of ethiopia s draft anti terrorism proclamation march 9, 2009 summary this paper analyses ethiopia s draft anti terrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights standards. Time to repeal antiterrorism law in ethiopia inter. Instead, yonatan tesfaye, a former spokesman of the semayawi blue party, was detained in december 2015 on charges under article 4 of ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation. A tool to stifle dissent, authored by lawyers from leading international law firms, provides an indepth and damning analysis of ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation.
Ethiopias highly controversial antiterrorism law, proclamation no. 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. This paper analyses ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights standards. Council of ministers approves antiterrorism law embassy. Wd kassa, examining some of the raisons detre for the ethiopian anti. 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. Ethiopia s highly controversial anti terrorism law, proclamation no. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to freedom of expression. Analysis of ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation. The information has been carefully selected and compiled from. From march 2011 to december 2011 at least 108 opposition party members and six journalists were arrested in ethiopia for alleged involvement with various proscribed terrorist groups. Refworld contains a vast collection of reports relating to situations in countries of origin, policy documents and positions, and documents relating to international and national legal frameworks. In august 2009, ethiopia enacted legislation to counter terrorism antiterrorism proclamation no. Pdf some points on the ethiopian antiterrorism law from.
It criminalizes indirect encouragement to the preparation. As a living victim of misuse of the antiterrorism proclamation atp in ethiopia, i face a heartbreaking judgement oftentimes from ordinary citizens who knew that i was once charged of the atp. Whereas, the right of the people to live in peace, freedom and security has to be protected, at all times, from the threat of terrorism. The charities and societies proclamation prohibits certain charities, societies, and. Introduction country overview the federal democratic republic of ethiopia ethiopia is located in the horn of africa and shares. Definitions in this proclamation, unless the context otherwise requires. Refworld is the leading source of information necessary for taking quality decisions on refugee status. Freedom of expression and the ethiopian antiterrorism. 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. Zelalem explored the misapplication of ethiopias atp under 123 cases which involved more than 985 defendants in a research titled as the terrorism of counterterrorism. Latest travel advice for ethiopia, including how to stay safe during the coronavirus covid19 pandemic and information on returning to the uk. Open request on ethiopia antiterrorism law, proclamation. The office of the federal attorney general established a legal advisory council, composed of.
The antiterrorism proclamation of ethiopia has a farreaching effect on human rights, such as freedom of expression. Pdf the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom 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. 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.
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