18/05/2026
" Ranked Among Highest-Risk States for Torture: Global Report Ethiopia has been classified as one of the world’s highest-risk countries for torture and ill-treatment, according to the 2025 Global Torture Index released by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), which cited conflict, arbitrary detention, weak legal protections, and widespread impunity as major concerns."
Ethiopia Ranked Among Highest-Risk States for Torture: Global Report
By: Taha Sakr
Ethiopia has been classified as one of the world’s highest-risk countries for torture and ill-treatment, according to the 2025 Global Torture Index released by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), which cited conflict, arbitrary detention, weak legal protections, and widespread impunity as major concerns.
The report warned that abuses remain deeply entrenched across several parts of the country, particularly in regions affected by armed conflict including Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, and Afar.
According to the Index, political activists, journalists, lawyers, religious leaders, and members of ethnic communities are among those most exposed to detention and alleged abuse by security forces. Reported methods of mistreatment included severe beatings, prolonged isolation, denial of food and sleep, psychological pressure, and detention without communication.
The organization said the reform momentum that followed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s rise to power in 2018 has significantly deteriorated in recent years amid escalating political violence and repeated states of emergency.
The report also criticized Ethiopia’s anti-torture legislation, arguing that national laws fail to fully criminalize torture in line with international standards and provide insufficient accountability mechanisms for abuses committed by officials.
Particular attention was drawn to detention centers and military facilities allegedly used during security crackdowns, including the Awash Arba military camp in the Afar region, which the report identified as a major site for the detention of dissidents and individuals accused of opposing the government.
Ethiopia received a “very high risk” rating under the report’s assessment of police brutality and institutional violence. Security agencies were accused of using excessive force during arrests and interrogations, while emergency laws were said to grant authorities sweeping powers to detain suspects without adequate judicial oversight.
The report further described prison conditions as overcrowded and deteriorating, citing shortages in food, medical care, sanitation, and ventilation across detention facilities operating beyond their intended capacity.
OMCT additionally accused Ethiopian authorities of restricting independent monitoring of detention centers and limiting access for oversight institutions, including the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
On accountability, the report said no senior officials had been prosecuted over alleged war crimes or crimes against humanity linked to recent conflicts, despite previous investigations by international and Ethiopian human rights bodies pointing to serious violations committed by multiple parties.
The report also highlighted growing pressure on journalists and civil society organizations, noting that many media professionals and rights activists have either been detained or forced into exile in recent years.
OMCT called on Ethiopia to revise its legal framework in accordance with international conventions, end the use of unofficial detention facilities, strengthen protections for detainees, and ensure accountability for abuses committed during conflict and security operations.
