Ethiopia: Tigray Interim Admin Vows to Crackdown Against Threats to Judicial Independence
Addis Abeba — In the backdrop of threats to judicial independence, the Interim Administration of the Tigray region has pledged to restore order and uphold the rule of law following a recent disruption in a courtroom presiding over the murder case of Zewdu Haftu, a 32-year-old woman from Mekelle who was killed in August 2023 by unknown individuals while walking in the street with her girlfriend.
The Interim Administration said it will investigate and bring to justice those who “work to disrupt the justice system in the Tigray region”, and will “make the results public.”
This statement was issued in response to an altercation on 16 May inside the Mekelle City central court room, where a riot disrupted proceedings in the murder trial of Zewdu. “Following the disruption… the courts in the city’s eight zones and the Central Court informed me on 20 May that they have ceased operations due to concerns for their safety,” the administration reported.
Condemning the incident, the statement further said “this act of disrupting a court room is completely unacceptable under any circumstances and constitutes a direct attack on the judicial and justice system in Tigray.” It further warned that such acts “undermine law and order and seek to create a Tigray where bullies operate with impunity, shrouded in chaos and disorder.”
The administration also vowed to create a safe environment for legal professionals and said it “will create conditions that ensure the safety of judicial bodies so they can carry out their duties properly.”
The events in Mekelle come against a broader backdrop of alarm over the state of justice in the region. In April, Addis Standard reported on the alarming incidents driven by internal and external pressures on judges, particularly those presiding over cases of rape and murder.
The Tigray Judges Association said that “rape against women and murders have increased” in the region, particularly over the past two years, describing the rise as “unprecedented.” Judges working on such cases, it warned, face interference “both during and after trial proceedings,” making it difficult for them to “review cases independently and impartially.”
“These pressures must stop immediately,” the Association urged. “They not only obstruct independent judicial work but also put the safety of judges at risk.”
The Association cited the regional Women’s Bureau as one of the entities exerting undue influence. It specifically condemned the Bureau’s public statement criticizing a life sentence handed down in the high-profile case of Lydia Alem, who was killed by her husband four days after her wedding, as “not instructive.” The Bureau had requested a sentence that could “serve as a more instructive example.”
While acknowledging the right to legal appeal, the Association cautioned that such public statements “create pressure on the judges who passed the sentence and those who will handle the appeal.” It added, “This kind of interference prevents judges from working independently and impartially” and called for it to “be corrected immediately and not repeated.”
These developments come as Tigray faced alarming surge in gender-based violence and organized crime.
According to a police report, 12 women were murdered, 18 raped, 10 kidnapped, while 178 survived attempted murder in a span of 11 months alone between 2023 and 2024.
Public anger has erupted in protests, including large demonstrations in Mekelle’s Romanat Square in June 2024, where women demanded justice and an end to violence.
In response, 27 civil society organizations issued a joint statement denouncing the violence and criticizing regional authorities for failing to ensure accountability. The lack of transparency and weak enforcement of legal protections, they argued, are fueling impunity and violating international standards of justice.
Crédito: Link de origem