Ethiopian government suspends key human rights groups

Ethiopian authorities are escalating a sweeping crackdown on civil society, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned, condemning the suspension of two independent rights organizations.

In late December, Ethiopia’s civil society regulator suspended the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), two of the nation’s key watchdogs.

Authorities justified the suspensions by claiming the organizations lacked independence and operated beyond their legal mandates, HRW stated in a Wednesday report.

“The Ethiopian authorities over the past year have waged a relentless assault against human rights groups,” said HRW’s Africa director, Mausi Segun.

“By suspending groups engaged in critical human rights documentation and advocacy, the government is showcasing its intolerance of independent scrutiny,” she added.

The Ethiopian government has not yet responded to a request for comment from AFP regarding the suspensions.

This move follows the December suspension of three other rights organizations— the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy, Lawyers for Human Rights, and the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia.

Only the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia has since had its suspension lifted, while the others remain barred from operating.

Ethiopia, a nation of around 120 million people, is grappling with multiple armed conflicts, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

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