U.S. Statement at the Universal Periodic Review for Ethiopia
33rd Session,
Geneva, May 14, 2019
as delivered by Jason Mack
The United States welcomes the Ethiopian delegation to the UPR working group.
We recommend that Ethiopia:
- Hold accountable security forces that commit human rights violations.
- Train police and security forces in conflict mitigation and maintaining law and order in accordance with the rule of law.
- Prioritize the revision of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation and Media Services Act to align with Ethiopia’s international human rights obligations and commitments.
We applaud the many positive changes in Ethiopia’s human rights climate over the past year, including the decriminalization of opposition political movements and leaders, the allowance of peaceful rallies and demonstrations, and steps taken to revise repressive laws.
We strongly believe that strengthened human rights protections are key to addressing ethnic conflicts that threaten the country’s stability and security as it continues to open civic space.