Amnesty International urges Ethiopia to end arbitrary detentions of Tigrayans, activists in Addis Ababa

CAIRO – 17 July 2021: Amnesty International published a report on Friday urging Ethiopia to end arbitrary detentions of people of Tigray as well as activists and journalists in Addis Ababa and to reveal whereabouts of unaccounted detainees.

AI said police in the Ethiopian capital have arbitrarily detained dozens of Tigrayans without due process on 28 June, calling the arrests “ethnically motivated.”

Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, cited former detainees as saying that police stations are stuffed with people speaking Tigrinya, adding that authorities had conducted sweeping mass arrests.

“Amnesty International urges the Ethiopian government to end this wave of arbitrary arrests, and to ensure that all detainees are either promptly charged with internationally recognized crimes and given fair trials, or immediately and unconditionally released,” the report read.

“The government must also inform families of the whereabouts of those detained and ensure that they have access to lawyers and their relatives,” it added.

AI also reported that police have arrested and detained journalists and media workers who have been reporting on the situation in the Tigray region. This includes 11 journalists and media workers who were arrested on 30 June.

Muchena highlighted the importance that Ethiopian authorities reveal the whereabouts of detainees to their families and lawyers, warning against committing the crime of enforced disappearance.

“Authorities must also ensure that all detainees are protected against torture and other ill-treatment,” said Deprose.