Suspension of Four Civil Society Organizations Lifted

Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has engaged key stakeholders to resolve the issue through dialogue and prioritizing human rights.According to Ethiopian News Agency, the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) had previously suspended the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), The Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), and Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) in November 2024. Although the suspension of these organizations was initially lifted in December 2024, ACSO later reimposed suspensions on CARD, LHR, as well as the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC).In a press statement released on December 27, 2024, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission expressed its concern regarding the impact of these suspensions on civic space and the freedom of association in Ethiopia. EHRC also undertook an investigation into the suspensions and shared its findings and recommendations with relevant stakeholders.U nder the leadership of its new Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adello, EHRC actively engaged with ACSO, relevant government authorities, and the four CSOs to advocate for the lifting of the suspensions. This advocacy aimed to enable the organizations to resume their operations.EHRC is pleased to announce that its efforts have been successful, with ACSO lifting the suspension of all four CSOs as of March 03, 2025. The Commission expressed its gratitude to ACSO, government authorities, and the concerned CSOs for their commitment to dialogue and resolution.On this occasion, EHRC calls for the establishment of a practice of resolving issues through dialogue, with a focus on human rights protection and national interests.