Consultation: Draft Proclamation for the Establishment of Transitional Justice Special Bench

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in collaboration with the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia (FSCE) organised a consultation on the draft proclamation for establishing a Transitional Justice Special Bench on November 30, 2024, in Addis Ababa. The consultation brought together judges from the Federal Supreme Court and Federal High Court, representatives from EHRC, as well as independent experts and academicians. It aimed to gather expert feedback on the draft proclamation.

In his opening speech, His Excellency Tewodros Mihret, Chief Justice of the FSCE, noted the importance of establishing the Special Bench for the Transitional Justice as outlined by the Transitional Justice (TJ) Policy. He further stressed that the establishment proclamation must ensure that the Special Bench embodies the principles of independence and impartiality, aligns with international standards and remains firmly rooted in the Ethiopian Constitution.

During the consultation, Dr. Tadesse Kassa, a member of the drafting team, presented the process of developing the TJ Policy and provided an update on its implementation. He outlined the next steps, including finalizing the draft legislations, launching an institutional coordination mechanism and establishing a regional framework to align federal and regional efforts.

Participants provided feedback on ensuring the independence of the Special Bench, coordinating its work with other institutions and aligning its operation with international standards and the Ethiopian Constitution. Her Excellency Lelisie Desalegn, President of the Federal High Court, emphasized the significance of experts’ and practitioners’ inputs in refining the draft legislation. She also encouraged participants to share additional written feedback, underscoring the collective responsibility to ensure the draft legislation is comprehensive and grounded in the Constitution.

Rakeb Messele, Acting Chief Commissioner of the EHRC, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting an inclusive, victim-centered and human rights-compliant TJ process. She highlighted that victims must be at the heart of the process, not only as participants, but also as contributors to the design of the TJ institutions that will address their needs and provide them with justice. She added that these institutions will not only address past human rights violations, but also lay the foundation for strong and independent bodies to prevent gross human rights violations in the future.