seems, its importance must be understood with reference to the innumerable executions, notably during the civil war that have taken place under the previous regime merely as a result of the orders given by the Head of State, the Minister of Justice or a high ranking military officer. The right to seek pardon, clemency, reprieve or commutation is widely admitted and rarely poses much of a real problem for States, because it is an inexpensive concession. In a nutshell, imprisonment is the principal mechanism used to achieve the objectives of punishment in Ethiopia, as in many national criminal justice systems. Institutional Measures The Police Commissions, the Ministry and Bureaus of Justice and the Courts have been established at Federal, Regional and City Administration levels. In addition to these, the Boards of Pardon have been established at Federal and Regional levels to enable all convicted persons including persons sentenced to death to submit requests for pardon. Administrative and Judicial Measures In 2010, the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia Issued Directive No. 1/2010 in order to ensure predictability of sentences and fines imposed by criminal benches across the nation. To this end, courts impose death penalty only in the most serious cases and using similar standards set by the directive in line with international human rights instruments and the Constitution. Moreover, Persons accused of serious criminal offence punishable by death penalty have the right to be represented by legal counsel of their choice, and, if they can„t afford this the government will provide them with one. Directives have also been issued both at Federal and Regional levels to ensure that members of the police and prison administrations respect the right to life in their relations with persons in custody and imprisonment as well as with the general public. With regard to the members of the Defense Force, the Council of Ministers has issued regulations prohibiting violation of the right to life of civilians in the course of their active duty. The Ministry of Defense has also issued directives in conformity with the laws of the country to respect and ensure this important right. These directives enable the enforcement of the right and make persons accountable when violations occur. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission monitoring report shows that efforts at protecting and respecting the right to life of detainees in all detention centers have been positive. While there were 45