Ethiopia: Proposed Counterterrorism Legislation Violates Human Rights

June 30, 2009

(Nairobi) - Ethiopia's draft counterterrorism law could punish political speech and peaceful protest as terrorist acts and encourage unfair trials if enacted,comittees of woyane Members vote to kill prominent Oromo Nationalists Human Rights Watch said today. The government and members of parliament should amend the draft law, which may otherwise be imminently passed as-is by parliament, to meet international human rights standards, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch's detailed analysis of the draft Anti-Terrorism Proclamation concludes that the bill violates fundamental freedoms of speech and peaceful assembly, and strips defendants of important due-process protections. As drafted, the law could provide a new and potent tool for suppressing political opposition and independent criticism of government policy, Human Rights Watch said.....read more

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As drafted, this law could encourage serious abuses against political protesters and provide legal cover for repression of free speech and due-process rights.

Joanne Mariner, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program director at Human Rights Watch