Ethiopia may fail to deliver on transitional justice

Significance

The policy includes some changes from the justice ministry’s initial draft, most significantly the removal of a proposal for a special court to prosecute the most serious crimes. These changes have amplified questions about the likely effectiveness of the policy in holding those in power to account.

Impacts

• The government may try to use the threat of prosecution under the policy to deter political dissent.
• The government may hope adopting the policy aids its efforts to repair relations with Western donors and progress debt relief talks.
• Questions will arise over how the policy will relate to the work of the National Dialogue Commission.