Introduction
In an oral statement at the 60th UN Human Rights Council session, DefendDefenders expressed deep concern over Ethiopia’s worsening human rights situation. The statement highlighted ongoing armed conflicts, rising insecurity, and stalled transitional justice efforts, which reflect a lack of accountability by national institutions. It warned that the narrowing civic space, growing repression of journalists and HRDs, and proposed amendments to the Civil Society Proclamation threaten the independence of NGOs and undermine democratic freedoms. DefendDefenders also criticised the decision to end the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia and urged renewed collective international action to address the country’s human rights crisis.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) refuted government claims that it is preparing for war in alliance with Eritrea, instead accusing the Ethiopian government of breaching the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the TPLF criticised what it described as politically motivated allegations and warned of a deteriorating situation threatening the peace process. It accused the federal government of failing to honour its commitments under the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, citing the continued presence of non-Ethiopian National Defence Force troops in Tigray, alleged land occupations, and efforts to alter the region’s demographic composition. The TPLF also raised concern over the plight of displaced persons unable to return home and denounced the actions of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) against its legal status as politically driven. It further criticised the government’s militarisation of the region, including the training of new militias such as the Tekeze Guards. The TPLF dismissed accusations of renewed conflict preparation as baseless and warned that such rhetoric risks undermining reconciliation and reigniting instability in northern Ethiopia.
Expression
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed publicly criticised sections of the Ethiopian media, accusing them of prioritising personal or organisational interests over the national good. In a June 2025 interview broadcast across state and party-affiliated outlets, he urged journalists and media institutions to centre their work on advancing Ethiopia’s national interests. He likened the media to tools such as fire or a machete, capable of both constructive and destructive outcomes depending on how they are used. The Prime Minister dismissed the concept of media independence, asserting that no media is truly impartial. Echoing his remarks, the Government Communication Service accused commercial media of framing national priorities through a partisan lens, and undermining broader national discourse. These comments reflect a growing pattern of official rhetoric that questions media independence and frames critical reporting as a threat to national unity.
On 5th August 2025, police in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State arrested journalist Khadar Mohamed Ismael, a reporter with the state-owned Somali Regional Television (SRTV). According to VOSS TV and a witness, he remained in custody without formal charges. On 9th August, Khadar appeared in court without legal representation. He was questioned about a 4th August Facebook post on SRTV’s page that featured local community members criticising the government. The post has since been removed.
On 13th August 2025, masked men in military-style uniforms abducted journalist Yonas Amare from his home in Sheger City, near Addis Ababa. Witnesses said the men ordered residents indoors and seized mobile phones before taking him away. Yonas works for the privately owned Reporter newspaper. Addis Ababa police later told the outlet that he was not in their custody. His whereabouts remain unknown, raising concerns over enforced disappearance and the growing risks faced by journalists in Ethiopia’s shrinking civic space.
Following a report on widespread protests over poor working conditions for healthcare workers (previously documented on the Monitor), the Ethiopian Media Authority accused Sheger FM of “incitement to violence and bias” and ordered the removal of the segment from its social media platforms. On 3rd September, federal police and plainclothes security officers raided Sheger FM’s offices in Addis Ababa, detaining head of news Eshete Assefa and arresting journalists Mintamir and Tigist. Eshete was released later that evening without charge, while Mintamir and Tigist remain in detention at the Federal police Crime Investigation Bureau, with no charges disclosed. Their court appearance on 5th September before the Federal High Court in Lideta was postponed due to a full docket.