Ethiopia - July 2024

On 8 July, the Ethiopia’s Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ASCO) announced the closure of at least 1,504 civil society organisations (CSOs), citing non-compliance with annual reporting requirements. CSOs are reportedly struggling to meet ASCO reporting requirements due to underfunding and a lack of administrative capacity. According to the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, an NGO, the closures have created a climate of fear, isolation and stigmatization within Ethiopian civil society. It described the closures as ‘unprecedented’ and noted that it was part of a broader and ongoing crackdown on civic space, human rights organisations and independent media.

Sources: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), The Reporter, Human Rights Watch