As Ethiopia is going through a historic transformation, the government is diligently engaged in ensuring the respect, protection, and fulfillment of fundamental human and democratic rights recognized in the Constitution.
Since last
year, the country has been able to register far-reaching changes in the respect
and protection of human rights. Few weeks after he came to Office, Prime
Minister Abiy Ahmed and his administration lifted the state of emergency,
ordered the release of thousands of journalists and political prisoners,
allowed dissidents to return home and unblocked hundreds of websites and TV
channels.
Freedom of speech and the press have blossomed in ways never seen before – so much that many are now openly calling for placing some limits, including regulation on hate or inciting speech transmitted mostly via the social media.
Adham Duri, Human Rights Protection and Monitoring Directorate Director at Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, tells The Ethiopian Herald that the Commission is striving to meet the 188 standards acclaimed by the International community. Thus, it prepares the Universal Periodic Report and submits it to the international community to evaluate its performance by a third party.
Recently, the Commission has reaffirmed the well-being of inmates having conducted supervisions upon 40 detention centers and 70 federal institutes. The commission has also offered 2000 police officers with adequate training about human rights.
Unlike courts, the commission does not
necessarily require a standard of truth beyond reasonable doubt as to that of
Courts, rather it has adopted 50+1 system and is in charge of taking the burden
of investigating proof
regarding human right cases, Adham said.
Eshetu Gebre, Deputy Chief Commissioner, on his part says that though being compliant against violation and abuse of human right is the sole rights of the country, in Ethiopia there is a state of bewilderment to make the discrepancy between the human right violation and other offensive actions.
Hence, raising the awareness of the society regarding the difference between human rights and other rights is decisive.
Being the mandated institute for the enforcement of born rights, the Ethiopian Human Right Commission has recently devised national human right action plan ratified by the House Peoples Representative.
Having realized the significance of Human Rights Action Plan in respecting and protecting internationally recognized human rights in a structured and comprehensive manner, the government has designed and started to implement a strategy that reinforces the respect and protection of human rights in the country in a sustainable manner.
The Ethiopian Herald April 18, 2019
BY LAKACHEW ATINAFU
