• Freedom of association;
• Freedom of religion; and,
• Political rights.
168.
On the freedom of religion, the CSAR observes that Moslem Ethiopians who, in
the past, complained of being treated as second-class citizens, obtained equality
with believers of all other religious denominations under the Constitution. On
political rights, it observes that in the last decade, political participation of
“heretofore-neglected Ethiopians” was considerably enhanced through the
federal system.
169.
On the other freedoms, the CSAR notes diverse complaints of violations and
restrictions. The 2007 US State Department Country Report, for example,
referred to incidents of arbitrary and unlawful deprivation of life and liberty
perpetrated by government forces. These violations and restrictions relate mostly
to the violence and events during and after the 2005 parliamentary elections
when 193 civilians and 6 police officers killed. Many of opposition party leaders
and their supporters were arrested and charged with criminal offences such as
genocide and treason for political speeches they made over the elections. In the
same period, a number of newspaper editors were arrested and detained on
charges of various criminal offences, leading to the shutting down of about 10
newspapers. Most of those charged were tried and convicted by courts of law
but were subsequently granted pardon and released at their own request.
170.
With regard to law, media representatives complained that the proclamation
on the media was very restrictive of their rights. Journalists were allegedly
intimidated by some provisions of the revised criminal code. Furthermore,
opposition political party leaders complained that ever since the 2005 elections,
it had become virtually impossible to hold public meetings with their members
and supporters because the authorities empowered to regulate such meetings
do not readily grant the necessary permits.
171.
On the other hand, the report notes government’s contention that over the 2005
parliamentary election period, opposition political leaders and their supporters
- in abuse of the said freedoms - engaged in criminal activities designed to
violently overturn the constitutional order. Those killed were engaged in criminal
activities and not in lawful demonstrations, and arrests were made not for
exercising constitutional freedoms but for involvement in criminal activities.
Government further contended that incidents of unlawful arrest, detentions and
other malfeasance, were isolated occurrences and should not be portrayed as
standard practice. The report notes that a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission
that investigated the post-election violence of 2005 exonerated government of
blame for overreacting in handling the violence.
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