Abiy Ahmed

The federal government and TPLF signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in Pretoria in November 2022. The agreement substantially reduced fighting and reopened aid access, but issues concerning justice for atrocities, control of western Tigray and complete withdrawal of external forces persisted.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

The 2026 elections took place while voting could not be held in Tigray and several insecure parts of Amhara. Abiy's Prosperity Party remained overwhelmingly dominant, while opponents denounced arrests, political restrictions and an uneven playing field.

State of the evidence

Documented

In 2026, Human Rights Watch reported that Tigrayans continued to face restrictions, displacement and obstacles to returning to western Tigray, despite commitments under the Pretoria agreement. The case raises questions about federal implementation of the agreement and protection of displaced people.

State of the evidence

Documented

In 2025, human rights organisations were suspended by the competent authority, and Human Rights Watch reported renewed arrests of journalists and media professionals. Proposed legislative amendments also raised fears of increased control over civil society.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Person targeted by the proceedings

des journalistes

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Faced with fighting between the army and the Fano militia, Abiy's government declared a state of emergency in the Amhara region. International organisations reported mass arrests, movement restrictions and allegations of arbitrary detention and other abuses.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Human Rights Watch and Reuters documented incidents involving civilian casualties in Amhara, including alleged executions by federal soldiers in Merawi, air or drone strikes that killed civilians and attacks on healthcare.

State of the evidence

Documented

Abiy signed a memorandum with Somaliland intended to secure maritime access for Ethiopia. Somalia, which regards Somaliland as part of its territory, described the agreement as unlawful and a violation of its sovereignty, triggering a serious regional crisis.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Ethiopia defaulted on a Eurobond in 2023 and subsequently allowed its currency to float in 2024 under an IMF programme, causing an initial sharp depreciation of the birr. The reform sought to unlock debt restructuring and financing but also heightened concerns over the cost of living.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Investigations by media outlets, the UN and NGOs documented serious abuses during the Tigray war, including executions, sexual violence, looting and attacks on civilians, attributed in different locations to Eritrean, federal, Amhara and also Tigrayan forces.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Following the federal withdrawal from Mekelle in June 2021, Tigray experienced a near-total interruption of banking services, communications, fuel and supplies. UN experts and NGOs described a de facto blockade and accused federal authorities of contributing to famine conditions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International documented a campaign of detention, expulsions, killings, sexual violence and forced displacement against Tigrayans in western Tigray, carried out primarily by Amhara forces and authorities, with alleged federal acquiescence or participation.

State of the evidence

Documented

During the war's initial phases, Tigray experienced prolonged telecommunications outages and severe restrictions on journalists, observers and humanitarian workers. These measures complicated independent assessment of the fighting and delivery of aid.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

For several months, Ethiopia and Eritrea rejected or downplayed reports of Eritrean troops in Tigray. In March 2021, Abiy acknowledged before Parliament that Eritrean forces had entered Ethiopia during the war.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated

The 2021 elections took place while Tigray was at war and voting was impossible or postponed in several regions. Oromo opposition leaders were detained and some parties boycotted, while the Prosperity Party won a large majority.

State of the evidence

Documented

The national election scheduled for 2020 was postponed during the pandemic and institutional terms extended under a constitutional interpretation approved at federal level. Tigray's authorities rejected the framework and held their own regional election, worsening a legitimacy crisis between Mekelle and Addis Ababa.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the assassination of Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa, serious violence caused numerous casualties. The government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown lasting several weeks and arrested thousands of people, including prominent opponents such as Jawar Mohammed and Bekele Gerba.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Person targeted by the proceedings

des opposants

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Abiy announced a military operation against the TPLF following what the government alleged was an attack on the federal army's Northern Command. The conflict rapidly developed into a major war involving federal, Eritrean, Amhara and Tigrayan forces.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Abiy Ahmed led the transformation of the governing EPRDF coalition into the Prosperity Party. The TPLF, long dominant within the former coalition, refused to join the new party, deepening the rift between the federal government and Tigray's authorities that preceded the 2020 crisis.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility