End use of counter-terrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members

Today, Civil Rights Defenders and eight other civil society organisations issue a joint statement calling on the Ethiopian Government to end the use of counter-terrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members.

We urge the Ethiopian Government to end its escalating crackdown on human rights defenders, independent media, peaceful protestors as well as members and leaders of the political opposition through the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP).

The undersigned CSOs demand the competent Ethiopian authorities to take the necessary steps to bring the ATP in line with its international, regional and constitutional human rights obligations and immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and opposition party leaders and members imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights.

Signatories

Amnesty International

Article 19

Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE)

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Civil Rights Defenders

Defend Defenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Right Defenders Project) Ethiopia Human Rights

Project (EHRP)

Front Line Defenders

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

Read the full statement here: Press statement ATP Ethiopia.