In a move that has sparked considerable debate among human rights organizations, Ethiopia has been elected to the UN Human Rights Council despite significant opposition. Several international human rights groups, including CIVICUS and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, have openly opposed Ethiopia’s candidacy. The contention arises from claims that Ethiopia does not satisfy the criteria outlined in Resolution 60/251 of the General Assembly, which requires members to uphold the highest standards in human rights.
These organizations argue that Ethiopia has failed to demonstrate a commitment to human rights, citing a 2023 report by the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), which details numerous human rights violations by the Ethiopian National Defense Forces and Tigrayan forces. The report highlights attacks on civilians and incidents of sexual violence, among other violations.
The Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights’ update from June 2023 further revealed 594 cases of human rights abuses in Ethiopia. These included acts of inhumane treatment, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances or abductions. Moreover, Amnesty International has accused the Ethiopian government of attempting to disrupt ICHREE’s operations, which it argued could undermine peace restoration efforts led by the African Union.
Nonetheless, the UN Human Rights Council elections, which took place on Wednesday, resulted in Ethiopia being elected along with countries like Kenya, Benin, and Bolivia. The human rights organizations had urged states to leave their ballots blank to protest Ethiopia’s election. More details on the election results can be found in the official UN press release.