In 2009 the government of Ethiopia passed the Charities and Societies Proclamation to regulate the civil society sector. Two years after the law was passed, it has had a devastating impact on human rights defenders in Ethiopia. In this statement, Amnesty International calls on the African Commission to urge the government of Ethiopia to amend the Charities and Societies Proclamation to remove the significant restrictions placed on human rights work; and to seek an invitation for the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to visit Ethiopia.
