Thu Jan 30 05:03:17 UTC 2025: ## Ethiopia Cracks Down on Human Rights Groups: HRW

**Addis Ababa, January 30, 2025** – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Ethiopian government of an escalating crackdown on civil society, citing the recent suspension of two prominent independent human rights groups. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRC) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC) were suspended in December by a government body, ostensibly for lacking independence and exceeding their mandates. This follows the December suspension of three other rights groups, though one has since had its suspension lifted.

HRW’s Africa director, Mausi Segun, stated that the government’s actions demonstrate intolerance of independent scrutiny. The suspensions are viewed as part of a broader effort to silence dissent and limit the work of organizations documenting human rights abuses and advocating for reform.

While government spokesperson Billene Seyoum claimed significant progress towards a more inclusive environment since 2018, HRW’s report paints a starkly different picture, highlighting the ongoing restrictions on civil society and the shrinking space for human rights organizations to operate freely in Ethiopia.

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