May 8, 2025
Although the official State of Emergency in Ethiopia’s Amhara region came to an end in May 2024 after ten months, reports of ongoing arbitrary detentions continue to surface. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has confirmed that individuals remain in custody without due process, raising serious human rights concerns.
This development was revealed during a session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Dr. Abdi Jibril, the Commissioner for Civil, Political, and Socio-Economic Rights, provided a brief statement indicating that the EHRC has documented continued rights violations in the region.
The State of Emergency, declared in August 2023, was originally imposed in response to escalating armed conflict between government forces and local militias. While its expiration was seen by many as a step toward normalization, the ongoing detentions suggest that the security apparatus remains active beyond the legal framework of the emergency law.
Human rights advocates have urged the Ethiopian government to release all individuals detained without charges and to uphold the country’s constitutional protections for civil liberties. The EHRC also called for transparency and accountability in how security forces continue to operate in post-emergency Amhara.
Ambassador Media will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.
