Counter–Terrorism and International Human Rights: An Assessment from the Ethiopian Anti–Terrorism Law Perspective

Abstract

The 2009 Ethiopian Anti–Terrorism Proclamation (ATP) was framed to prevent and punish the ever–growing terrorist threat. However, since its inception, the ATP has been widely criticized for bypassing the internationally accepted human rights standards and being applied to unduly punish opposing voices. The ATP has been argued to leave in Ethiopia a background for governmental repression. The purpose of this article is to assess the ramifications of the ATP on human rights by addressing them from the human rights approach. This article assesses the ATP and its impact on civil liberties, such as protection against arbitrary detention and freedom of expression, association, and access to justice. In conclusion, this article outlines approaches as to how to balance the government’s security measures and the respect and protection of human rights.