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Addis Ababa (Horn Digest) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned Ethiopia’s human rights situation in 2024 as “dire,” citing widespread violence, restrictions on civil liberties, and a lack of accountability for serious abuses. In its annual report, the organization detailed grave human rights violations committed by government forces, militias, and non-state armed groups across the country.

The conflict in the Amhara region remained a critical concern, with HRW documenting war crimes by both government forces and Fano militias. The report cited UN findings of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, torture, and ill-treatment of civilians by Ethiopian military forces. A particularly horrific incident occurred in January when dozens of civilians were summarily killed in Merawi town. Fano militias were also implicated in serious abuses, including the killing of civilians and attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The humanitarian crisis in Amhara worsened, with the UN facing unprecedented levels of violence. The killing of eight aid workers forced the UN to consider suspending relief operations due to escalating security risks.
In Tigray, the presence of Eritrean forces continued to fuel human rights abuses, including rape, sexual violence, and the looting of civilian property.
The report also highlighted a surge in kidnappings nationwide, with over 100 people, primarily university students, abducted in Oromia in July.
The state of emergency, extended in February, enabled mass arrests and severe restrictions on movement, targeting journalists, opposition figures, and activists. Hundreds of individuals, including senior officials, were detained in Amhara.
The media operating space remained severely constrained, with journalists facing self-censorship, harassment, and arrest. Since 2020, 54 journalists have fled the country.
Civil society organizations also faced significant pressure, with security forces harassing staff members of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council and authorities suspending several organizations, including the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy.
While the government adopted a transitional justice policy, HRW criticized it as inadequate due to a lack of transparency and independent oversight. Accountability for past and ongoing abuses remained elusive, with Ethiopian authorities consistently denying or downplaying allegations.

HRW expressed concern over the international community’s normalization of relations with the Ethiopian government, arguing that it disregards the ongoing human rights crisis