Addis Ababa — The annual report by US‑based Freedom House has again classified Ethiopia as “not free,” assigning it a freedom score of 21 out of 100. The organization evaluated a wide range of activities in Ethiopia during 2022, including human and political rights, public participation, justice, governmental operations, freedom of expression, associational and organizational rights, rule of law, arrests, and access to information about the two‑year war in Tigray. Ethiopia received a Global Freedom Score of 21, with political rights scoring only 10 and civil liberties 11.
The report notes that at the outset of the Tigray war, internet and telephone services were cut and journalists were denied access to the region. The involvement of Eritrean soldiers, the condition of refugee camps, and the overall humanitarian situation in Tigray remain uncertain. The conflict between the federal government and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has caused an estimated 600,000 deaths, and the risk of further mass atrocities persists. In November of the previous year, the federal government and the TPLF signed a permanent cessation of hostilities agreement mediated by the African Union.
Information about counter‑insurgency operations and ethnic conflicts in Oromia, Benishangul‑Gumuz, and Amhara is scarce, making it difficult to verify the extent of human‑rights abuses and war crimes in those areas. In May, government forces arrested more than 4,500 people—including journalists and activists—in a widespread crackdown in the Amhara region. The government offered no justification for the arrests, and it was unclear whether those detained remained in custody at year’s end.
Independent journalists continue to face constraints imposed by security imperatives that limit their ability to work and travel, as well as repeated government pressure over coverage of internal conflicts in Tigray and Oromia. In 2022, some journalists were detained without charges, expelled from the country, or had their licenses revoked. Security institutions warned and threatened media outlets reporting on the violent conflicts, urging them to follow the government narrative. Journalists also endured pressure, arrests, threats, and harassment—both online and offline—to reveal their sources. In August, federal police filed charges against 111 owners of “illegal” digital media outlets, accusing them of inciting violence.
On 11 April, the Addis Standard reported that the federal government detained at least four journalists and media personalities in one week for alleged involvement in acts that incited violence. Those detained included Meskerem Abera (founder of “Ethio Nikat”), Genet Asmamawu of Yaneta Media, Abay Zewudu from Amhara Media Center, and Aragaw Sisay of Roha News. Earlier, in March, Getnat Ashagre, editor‑in‑chief of Amhara Voice Media, was also detained.
The report highlights corruption and unequal resource distribution as major factors fueling recent civil unrest across Ethiopia. The ruling party has used accusations of corruption as a political weapon against public servants and opposition politicians. In November 2022, the government created a national committee to coordinate an anti‑corruption campaign, which claimed to have received over 250 tips within its first week and described corruption as a significant threat to national security.
Ethiopia’s security forces maintain substantial influence over the judicial process, especially in cases involving opposition leaders and other political adversaries. Due‑process rights are often ignored, and the right to a fair trial is frequently denied to government critics. Security personnel who commit human‑rights abuses and violence typically go unpunished. Local civil‑society organizations also face threats and warnings for advocating positions contrary to the government, particularly regarding internal conflicts. Legal and policy frameworks do not guarantee basic rights for the population, and the number of internally displaced persons exceeded 2.72 million as of July 2022. Ongoing violent conflicts have severely restricted freedom of movement.
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