Ethiopia - June 2024

In June, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice held closed-door consultations with government bodies and select non-governmental organizations on draft amendments to the 2019 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Proclamation that, if enacted, would significantly curtail civic space. The draft bill—yet to reach parliament—would grant the federal government powers to suspend or dissolve CSOs on vague national security grounds, ban foreign funding for groups working on governance or election and limit judicial oversight. It would also eliminate civil society’s majority on the CSO Board, and removes CSOs’ right to appeal Board decisions in court. The Board sets policy for the Authority for Civil Society Organisations, a federal agency under the Ministry of Justice. Rights groups and legal experts warn that the draft mirrors the draconian 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation—enacted after the disputed 2005 election—which targeted independent civil society, media and opposition groups. The law was repealed in 2019 as part of broader democratic reforms.

Sources: Ministry of Justice – Ethiopia, Addis Standard (1), Addis Standard (2), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International