Ethiopia Human Rights Bill Advances

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A comprehensive bill sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to promote human rights and democracy in Ethiopia was approved today by the International Relations Committee.

Smith, who is the Chairman of the Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations Subcommittee said “freedom and human rights in Ethiopia have seriously deteriorated under President Meles Zenawi.”

According to Smith, more than a hundred elected officials, party activists, journalists and human rights defenders were “thrown into jail on trumped up charges.” He said, “Violence against dissidents has increased significantly and yet there have been no credible accounts for the slaughter of protestors in the streets of Addis last year.”

Smith was joined by Rep. Donald Payne, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee in presenting the Bill. The bipartisan legislation has 17cosponsors.

The bill—the Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006 (HR 5680)—includes an authorization of $20 million over two years to assist political prisoners, indigenous Ethiopian human rights organizations, independent media, civil society and to promote legal training.

“We not only call on the Ethiopian government to unconditionally release all political prisoners, we establish a program to tangibly assist them.” Smith said.

“The people of Ethiopia deserve an independent, fair and transparent judiciary, another goal of this bill,” he said. Read More...