Amnesty International has condemned Ethiopia’s army for arbitrarily jailing thousands of civilians in makeshift detention camps in the Amhara region.
The detentions began in late September, following an escalation of conflict between the federal government and the Fano militia.
Amnesty reports that the army, along with local security forces, has filled four camps with detainees since the end of September.
Testimonies from former detainees describe violent arrests, with one man recounting how police arrested him in front of his children without explanation.
Authorities claim detainees undergo “rehabilitative training,” but details are unclear.
Amnesty has called for an end to the mass detentions, which also target government critics, including academics.
Amnesty’s Tigere Chagutah condemned the government’s actions, accusing it of using detentions to silence dissent under the guise of state of emergency laws.
Despite a state of emergency declared in 2023, unrest continues in the region.
