Ethiopia: Rights Commission Announces Lifting of Suspension On Four Rights Groups, Cites 'Successful' Advocacy Efforts

3 March 2025
Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has announced that the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) has lifted the suspension of four civil society organizations (CSOs), including the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), stating that its "advocacy efforts were successful" in reversing the decision.

In a statement on March 3, EHRC said it had "continued to engage ACSO, relevant government authorities, and the four CSOs" to push for the suspensions to be lifted. It expressed gratitude to ACSO, government bodies, and the affected organizations for their "commitment to dialogue and for finding a resolution to the matter."

The suspension of CARD, the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) was initially imposed by ACSO in November 2024 over allegations that they had engaged in activities contrary to the "national interest" and lacked "political neutrality." The suspensions were lifted the following month.

However, in December 2024, ACSO again suspended CARD and LHR, this time alongside the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC).

EHRCO and EHRDC, which received suspension letters on December 25, were accused of having "deviated from their founding objectives" and failing to remain "independent." EHRDC at the time refuted these claims, asserting that it had "adhered to its foundational principles" while maintaining "utmost independence, accountability, and transparency." Similarly, EHRCO rejected the accusations of political involvement, stating that they "do not reflect the true nature of EHRCO's work."

Following its December 2024 investigation into the matter, EHRC had raised concerns about the impact of the suspensions, urging ACSO to "expedite its investigations" and ensure that the process avoids "undue interference with their organizational and associational rights, in accordance with civic freedoms."

In its statement today, the commission said that under its new Chief Commissioner, Berhanu Adello, it had "continued to advocate for the suspensions to be lifted and enable the CSOs to resume operations."

Welcoming the resolution, EHRC called for a more dialogue-based approach in handling such issues, stating that "problems should be resolved through dialogue, prioritizing human rights protection and national interests."

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