The Authority for Civil Society Organizations has suspended the operations of the Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD).

The Center for the Development of Rights and Democracy (CARD) has announced that it has been banned by the Ethiopian civil society organizations authority. In a statement, CARD, which focuses on protecting human rights and democratic rights, confirmed that it was banned by the government body responsible for registering and overseeing civil societies in the country. The ban was imposed on the grounds of not being politically neutral and acting outside of its intended purpose.

Alongside CARD, reports indicated that another civil society organization, Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE), has also been suspended by the authorities.

CARD emphasized that the reason given for the ban was “unrealistic.” The organization mentioned that it was not provided with any information about the investigation process, which was cited as the reason for the ban. Furthermore, CARD expressed disappointment in the lack of adherence to necessary legal procedures.

The Center for Rights and Democracy Development highlighted that it does not engage in activities outside its objectives and remains an entirely independent institution in political matters. Since July 23, 2019, CARD has been contributing to national interest through various positive initiatives, such as providing training to youths and human rights advocates to promote peace, equality, and human rights even in challenging circumstances.

CARD also emphasized its collaboration with over 40 national and international organizations in reaching hundreds of thousands of citizens through programs aimed at enhancing human rights values and democratic public culture.

The organization continues to advocate for solutions to Ethiopia’s social and political challenges within a framework of peace and democracy. Despite the ban, CARD mentioned its intent to uphold the law and pursue all necessary legal avenues.

The Center for Rights and Democracy Development (CARD) has recently announced its initiative to collect signatures for proposing adjustments to the Ethiopian National Consultative Commission, citing “significant gaps” observed from its inception to the current process.