One of them, for example, makes encouragement of terrorism an offense punishable with imprisonment of up to 20 years. The five ethiopians convicted under the antiterrorism legislation on january 19 were found guilty of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, which carries a sentence of. Humphrey fellow american university maria burnett uganda researcher, africa division human rights watch stephan klingelhofer senior vice president international center for notforprofit law moderated by. Anti terrorism act, 2002, 2002 uganda legal information. Watchdog groups say the 2009 laws broad definitions have been used indiscriminately against anyone who.
Comment on ethiopian antiterrorism proclamation article 19, london, 2010. The cookies we use do not store personally identifiable information nor can they harm your computer. It seems the definition of terrorism is too vague, which allows the criminalization of acts that are not really acts of terrorism. Ethiopias highly controversial antiterrorism law, proclamation no. Ethiopia end use of counterterrorism law to persecute. Ethiopias ruling coalition started talks with opposition groups on amending provisions of an antiterrorism law critics say has criminalised dissent, stateaffiliated media said. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation is at the very center of every political discourse in the almost nation. Ipi and partners also call for immediate release of five imprisoned journalists ipi jan. Terrorism proclamation antiterror law have severely undermined civil society and. Ethiopia must stop use of antiterror law to curtail. The ethiopian anti t errorism law of 1954 and the penal code no 85 of arab republic of egypt developed in 1937 include anti terrorism provisions in articles 86102. But first it will tell the stories of just a small number of those unjustly targeted by the. The sweeping antiterrorism law criminalises any reporting authorities deem to encourage or provide moral support to groups and causes the government labels as terrorists. Chanet described the ethiopian antiterrorism legislation as an issue of particular concern because it opened the door to potential violations of.
This diktat approved on a 28691 vote of the rubberstamp parliament is so arbitrary and capricious that human rights watch. Ethiopias ruling party says changes would not be made to the draconian antiterrorism proclamation atp, let alone scrapping the law altogether. Time to repeal antiterrorism law in ethiopia inter. Ethiopia may well need a fair and effective law to combat terrorism, but this is not it, said joanne mariner, terrorism and counterterrorism program director at human rights watch. Meles took the absolute worst from apartheid south africas 1967 terrorism law. In justifying his antiterrorism law in february 2012, zenawi offered the following mindboggling explanation to his rubberstamp parliament. The ethiopian governments use of vague antiterrorism laws to silence the press has been widely and rightly condemned. In august last year zenawi died but the legislation survived under his successor hailemaraiam desalegn. Opposition parties in ethiopia are stepping up their push to scrap a controversial antiterrorism law. An act to suppress acts of terrorism, to provide for the punishment of persons who plan, instigate, support, finance or execute acts of terrorism. Meles did not take the very best from america, england and europe. A major concern articulated about the antiterrorism law is the vague nature of its provisions. This timely report, authored by lawyers from leading international law firms, provides an indepth and damning analysis of ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation. Unhchr grills ethiopia on antiterror law committee to.
Ethiopian antiterrorism law faces opposition youtube. When it was enacted in 2009, ifex members expressed concern that it would become a potent tool for suppressing political opposition and legitimate criticism. An advisory council, composed of members, has landed to reform antiterrorism, mass media and civil society. Ever since its adoption, the government has used it as a legal tool to clamp down on dissidents and create a cloud of fear that limits the ambition and activity of the media. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to. Ethiopia recognized the right to freedom of expression and information by ratifying the international covenant. Pdf this article analyses the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression and information. Pdf the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of. Nigeria anti terrorism act 2011 pdf exchange of information relating to terrorist groups and terrorist acts. Whereas, terrorism is a danger to the peace, security and development of the country and a serious threat to the peace and security of the world at large. According to hoffman 2004, the counterterrorism law has. Ethiopian government and opposition start talks on.
A tool to stifle dissent, authored by lawyers from leading international law firms, provides an indepth and damning analysis of ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation. Opride ethiopia must revise its controversial and flawed antiterrorism proclamation and stop its routine application to stifle free expression and political dissent, t he oakland institute and the environmental defender law center said in a new legal brief. The report examines how the law, enacted in 2009, is a tool of repression, designed and used by the ethiopian government to silence its critics. A tool to stifle dissent, details how the ethiopian government imprisons, oppresses. Building on the substantial number of earlier legal analyses prepared by a wide range of critics of the law, the report examines how the law, enacted in 2009, is a tool of. The council is composed of a government official, academics and legal practitioners. The paper assesses ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and argues that, not only is the definition of terrorism problematic, but also the implementation of the law continues from the weak ends of the law, and makes the ethiopian situation rife for the violation of the right of thought, opinion and expression. Of course, meles did not copy wordforword the very best antiterrorism laws in the world. The draft law has been submitted to parliament by the council of ministers and may be passed into law before the end of the current legislative. This outlook is strengthened by the fact that a major thrust of the anti terrorism law has been on public figures, opposition leaders, and journalists. Since 2008, the government of ethiopia has implemented a proselytization project aimed at establishing ahbash as the one statesanctioned sect of islam. We use cookies on our website and mobile app to improve content display and overall user experience. Tura, husen ahmed, the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of expression july 25, 2017.
The impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of expression conference paper pdf available in ssrn electronic journal may 2017 with 4,203 reads how we measure reads. According to news reports, the aim of the new legislation is to suppress and detect acts of terrorism, prevent the territory, resources and financial services of the country from being used to commit terrorism sic acts and to protect the rights of the people in the country to live in peace. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, none of the offences prescribed by this act shall be. Many dissidents fall into its trap and by day its effect is becoming. In drafting our antiterrorism law, we copied wordforword the very best antiterrorism laws in the world. This paper analyses ethiopias draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights standards. Proceeding of 5th international conference of phd students and young researchers, 2017 p. Ethiopias ruling coalition started talks with opposition groups on wednesday on amending provisions of an antiterrorism law that critics say.
Antiterrorism law among targets of addis ababa protest rsf. In 2009, former prime minister meles zenawis government passed the antiterrorism proclamation. Briefing paper on the situation of human rights defenders in ethiopia. But first it will tell the stories of just a small number of those unjustly targeted by the law. New report calls on ethiopia to reform repressive anti. Ethiopias antiterrorism proclamation and the right to freedom of expression. Journalism under ethiopias antiterrorism law listening. The suspicious relationship between the public and the judiciary system sets a series of questions on whatever measures taken by the system can be fair based on the anti terrorism law. Analysis of ethiopias draft antiterrorism law human. The conviction of eskinder nega and other journalists, who are accused of nothing more than the peaceful exercise of rights clearly recognized under international law, is the work of a regime that fears the democratic. On wednesday 17 july 20, members of the european parliaments subcommittee on human rights visited ethiopia and urged the government to release journalists and opposition activists imprisoned under the countrys antiterrorism proclamation no. A new report by the policy and human rights think tank, oakland institute, titled ethiopias antiterrorism law. The csis africa program cordially invites you to attend. The african model antiterrorism lawafrican union peace.
A prominent ethiopian political opposition member sits in prison on charges of terrorism. Almost every elected government, confronted with even the slightest terrorist threat, responds by attacking the civil liberties of its own citizens. This paper analyses ethiopia s draft antiterrorism proclamation the draft proclamation and assesses to what extent the proposed law on its face conforms to international human rights. Ethiopia reportedly considered adopting antiterror legislation in 2006,3 and a law was said to be in preparation in 2008. Terrorism by antiterrorism law lately, meles zenawi, the dictator in ethiopia, has been rounding up dissidents, journalists, opposition party political leaders and members under a diktat known as antiterrorism proclamation no. This article analyses the impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression and information. The ethiopian governments use of counterterrorism as a smokescreen to target the peaceful work of human rights defenders is an affront to its regional and international obligations. The use and abuse of antiterrorism laws in africa with. End use of counterterrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members. This article critically examines the impact of the ethiopia s antiterrorism law on freedom of expression an d the right to inform ation.
And one of its most effective tools is a vague, far reaching antiterrorism law that has sentenced at least 11 journalists to harsh prison terms. Ethiopian antiterrorism law archives ethiopian legal brief. We took from america, england and the european model antiterrorism laws. End use of counterterrorism law to persecute dissenters and opposition members 2 june 2016, 16. The antiterrorism law is one of the most serious obstacles to the promotion and protection of freedom of information in ethiopia, reporters without borders said. A person commits an offense under this provision if she. An act or omission in or outside nigeria which constitutes an office within the scope of a. Ethiopias antiterrorism law is premised on an extremely broad and vague definition of terrorist activity, the report said. The proclamation has been used by the regime to charge and imprison opposition party members, journalists and dissidents who criticise the regime or exercise their basic freedom of expression. The proclamation was adopted on 7 july 2009 and came into force upon its publication in the federal negarit gazeta of the federal democratic republic of ethiopia official gazette 15th year no. The model law is developed to assist member states in implementing the provisions contained in the various continental and international counterterrorism instruments, including the 1999 oau convention on the prevention and.
The impact of ethiopias antiterrorism law on freedom of. It is a turning point for human rights advocacy when issue of security discourse prevail all. Analysis of ethiopias draft antiterrorism law human rights watch. Whereas, the right of the people to live in peace, freedom and security has to be protected, at all times, from the threat of terrorism. Whereas, terrorism is a danger to the peace, security and development of the country and a serious threat to the peace and security of the world at. This outlook is strengthened by the fact that a major thrust of the antiterrorism law has been on public figures, opposition leaders, and journalists. An examination of ethiopias anti terrorism proclamation. A tool to stifle dissent, by the oakland institute and the environmental defender law center, authored by lawyers including representatives from leading international law firms, unravels the 2009 proclamation. Information and investigations relating to terrorism, etc.
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