Ethiopia Faces Security and Human Rights Crises in 2025, Human Rights Watch Reports

— Civilians in Ethiopia endured a series of security and human rights crises in 2025 as armed conflict persisted across several regions and the government tightened restrictions on independent media and civil society ahead of elections scheduled for 2026, Human Rights Watch said in its annual report.

The international rights organization, in its 2026 World Report released Wednesday, stated that conflicts continued in the Amhara and Oromia regions, instability deepened in Tigray due to internal tensions, relations between the federal government and Eritrea deteriorated, opposition figures faced a broad crackdown, justice efforts stalled, and economic and social pressures intensified.

Human Rights Watch reported that fighting between federal forces and Fano militants in the Amhara region remained intense throughout 2025, with all sides committing war crimes and serious violations. The report documented numerous drone strikes that killed civilians, including a February attack in northern Shewa that killed a pregnant woman, her six-year-old daughter, and a young man. Later that month, another strike in eastern Gojjam killed at least 16 people.

Fano forces were also accused of kidnapping and killing teachers to force school closures. Humanitarian access to the region was severely restricted, and aid workers faced detention, violence, and death. In August, Ethiopian Red Cross staff member Honelgen Fentahun was kidnapped and killed, the report noted.

In Tigray, Human Rights Watch reported that Eritrean troops committed rape and other sexual violence in areas under their control, violating the 2022 peace agreement. Forced displacement from western Tigray continued, while clashes between rival factions in Tigray and along the Afar border led to further displacement.

The organization also said clashes between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army, as well as fighting among armed groups, caused civilian deaths in Oromia. Ethnic clashes in the Dewale area of the Somali region killed and wounded dozens, while more than 11,000 people were displaced in border areas of Oromia and Benishangul Gumuz.

Additionally, Human Rights Watch warned that civic space and press freedom continued to shrink in 2025. Authorities harassed and intimidated human rights activists, forcing some into exile, and banned prominent civic organizations for political reasons. Although some bans were later lifted, repression persisted. The Ethiopian Health Professionals Association was reportedly banned for supporting striking workers. A 2019 amendment to the Civil Associations Law, introduced in June, granted the government sweeping powers to restrict organizations and impose heavy fines.

Journalists and media outlets also faced severe pressure, including arbitrary arrests, newsroom raids, and abductions. The senior editor of The Reporter newspaper disappeared for several days. Authorities expanded licensing and regulatory powers through hate speech and disinformation laws, as well as revisions to the media law.

Furthermore, the report highlighted Ethiopia’s worsening economic and social conditions, driven by inflation, debt restructuring, and IMF-backed reforms. Health workers striking over pay and working conditions were arrested, threatened, and prosecuted. Large-scale urban development projects, including the Addis Ababa Corridor Development, displaced residents without adequate consultation or compensation.

By mid-2025, an estimated 3.3 million people were internally displaced nationwide. Ethiopia also hosted more than one million refugees, but funding shortages and regional instability weakened protections for new arrivals, particularly those from South Sudan.

Accountability and International Concern
Human Rights Watch concluded that meaningful accountability for past and ongoing violations remains elusive. The country’s transitional justice process is stalled and largely unaccountable. While international partners continue to provide significant financial assistance, complaints submitted to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the UN Human Rights Council reflect growing global concern.

The report, underscoring Ethiopia’s mounting challenges amid a weakening international human rights system, called for renewed domestic and international commitments to accountability and fundamental freedoms.