Hailemariam Eyayaw Mitiku
Updated on July 30, 2025 AT 5: 37 based on request from the author
The right to freedom of speech is a fundamental human right recognized and protected under domestic and international level alike, allowing individuals to speak, write, and share ideas and opinions without facing punishment from the government. Despite these legal protections, freedom of speech is under severe attack in Ethiopia. The right to protest is labelled as terrorism and those who dare to speak truth are met with detention, torture, or death. In recent years, the government has escalated its repression, routinely detaining and prosecuting individuals who dare to express dissenting views or organize peaceful protests. A stark example is the recent arrest of Dr. Daniel Fentahun, a young medical professional who was detained simply for advocating better working conditions for healthcare workers. His case reflects a disturbing pattern of how authorities frequently bring politically motivated charges against peaceful protesters and activists. These individuals face threats, intimidation, and sometimes physical abuse, while their trials are marred by due process violations and lack of judicial independence. As a human rights defender and legal scholar in exile, I feel compelled to write this piece—not only in solidarity with Ethiopian health workers, but to bear witness to the broader war on expression unfolding across my country.
The Systematic Repression of Free Speech in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian government under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has increasingly relied on arrests, intimidation, and violence to suppress dissent. Peaceful activists, human rights defenders, journalists, opposition leaders, and everyday citizens are frequently targeted for simply exercising their fundamental rights. Detainees are often held without charge or access to legal counsel, and some report beatings, torture, and other inhumane treatment in detention centers, particularly during states of emergency. This creates an environment of fear and self-censorship, where even lawful assembly or expression is seen as a criminal threat.
This crackdown has affected a wide range of people. from journalists and academics to civil society leaders and healthcare professionals. In 2025 alone, dozens of health workers, including members of the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association, were arrested for organizing peaceful strikes demanding better pay and working conditions. Organizations like Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists have documented arbitrary arrests of reporters, the suspension of independent media outlets, and intimidation campaigns against activists. The government’s growing hostility toward freedom of expression represents a clear and systematic effort to silence any form of dissent, undermining democratic governance and breach of Ethiopia’s obligations under international human rights law.
What makes this repression even more concerning is the government’s proposed laws to reverse important reforms introduced when Abiy Ahmed first came to power in 2018. Early promises of democratic opening including the amendment of restrictive media and civil society laws and the release of political prisoners have been abandoned. Instead, the regime has introduced harsh legal frameworks designed to control and criminalize dissent. Notably, a new bill under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing framework has been adopted that effectively legalizes torture under the guise of national security. Human rights activist warns this legislation grants the regime sweeping powers to target human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition voices with a culture of impunity.
The Case of Health Workers
Health professionals in Ethiopia face extremely challenging conditions, struggling daily to survive on some of the country’s lowest wages. Many earn salaries that barely cover basic living expenses, forcing them to work under immense financial and emotional stress. Despite their critical role in providing essential medical care, these workers have long called on the government to address their dire situation by increasing pay, improving working conditions, and ensuring respect for their professional rights. Prior to the nationwide strike that began in May 2025, health workers repeatedly urged the government to engage in meaningful dialogue and take concrete measures to alleviate their hardships. Their demands were clear and grounded in the urgent need to secure a decent livelihood and deliver quality healthcare to the population.
Unfortunately, the Ethiopian government largely ignored these peaceful appeals and instead chose to politicize the health workers’ concerns, framing the protest as a threat to national stability. Rather than negotiating or addressing the root causes of the protests, authorities responded with repression arresting dozens of public healthcare workers across Ethiopia. Among those detained are prominent figures like Dr. Daniel Fentahun, Dr. Mahlet Guush, and Yonatan Dagnaw, president of the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association. The government has also suspended the Ethiopian Health Professionals Association in response to their peaceful protest. International organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned these arbitrary arrests as part of a broader pattern of silencing dissent and undermining fundamental labor rights. This crackdown not only harms the health workers and their families but also severely impacts Ethiopia’s healthcare system at a time when it is desperately needed.
Why This Matters for Human Rights Defenders
The repression faced by health workers and peaceful protesters is part of a wider pattern of fear, self-censorship, and forced exile that threatens human rights in Ethiopia. I know this all too well. As a young lawyer forced into exile for standing up against the government’s brutal crackdown, I have seen firsthand how the regime targets anyone who dares to speak out. When I was a prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice, I witnessed arbitrary arrests and brutal treatment of innocent civilians—often for nothing more than carrying or dressing the national colours or listening to certain music. I refused to prosecute baseless and politically motivated cases, and that made me a target. I have seen detainees beaten close to death while police turned a blind eye. These experiences compelled me to leave my country and pursue studies abroad focused on accountability for serious human rights violations in Ethiopia. When freedom of speech dies, so too does democracy. For human rights defenders like me, speaking out means risking everything—career, freedom, and homeland. Without the right to dissent safely, Ethiopia’s hopes for democracy and human rights continue to fade under a regime that silences its people through fear and repression.
Conclusion
In closing, speaking out for justice and fundamental human rights should never be treated as a crime. I call on friends, colleagues, and the international community to stand in solidarity with those—like Dr. Daniel and myself—who have had our voices forcibly silenced. Your support and pressure on the Ethiopian unaccountable and authoritarian regime can help ensure that freedom of expression is restored and protected for all.
About the author
Hailemariam Eyayaw Mitiku is a former Federal Public Prosecutor at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice and an LL.M. graduate of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. He earned his LL.B. from Bahir Dar University School of Law in 2023. As a human rights defender, he founded and currently chairs the board of the Law for Social Change Institute, a locally registered civil society organization working on human rights and democracy. Hailemariam has also worked with the Ethiopian Human Rights Council and other local NGOs in Ethiopia as a legal intern to advocate for justice and accountability.
Editor’s Note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
__
Subscribe : https://borkena.com/subscribe-borkena/
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory Business Listing Toronto
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com