Eritrean Soldiers to Face Trials in Ethiopian Courts

Eritrean soldiers could be tried in Ethiopian court as part of a transitional justice mechanism to hold people accountable for human rights abuses.

The Ethiopian council of minister on Saturday approved policy draft for transitional justice. The transitional justice mechanism is going to hold people accountable for human rights violations committed during the two year long war in northern Ethiopia.

War between Tigray regional fighters and Ethiopian federal forces supported by regional forces and Eritrean military broke out in November 2020. Around half a million people lost their lives. Tigray authorities and the other side have been accusing each other of having committed grave human rights abuses during the war. Amnesty International and Human Rights watch conducted inquiries into HR abuses but the reports were rejected by the parties found involved in crimes.

An investigation conducted by UN and Ethiopian Human rights organizations was rejected by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. An inquiry commission formed by the UN Human Rights Council was welcomed by Tigray but rejected by the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments. The commission was denied access to Ethiopia to conduct investigation.

Tigray has been demanding international investigation as it claims that Eritrean military allegedly committed war crimes in Tigray. Ethiopian federal government has been opposing international investigation. It has been in support of a local transitional justice mechanism.

The policy draft approved by the Ethiopian cabinet states that special trials will be launched at regular Ethiopian courts. No special separate courts will be established. According to informed sources, Eritrean soldiers, if found involved in crimes, will also be tried in absentia at Ethiopian courts.

Though Eritrea supported Ethiopian government militarily in the war but Ethiopia-Eritrea relations soured after Ethiopian federal government and TPLF signed a ceasefire deal in November 2022. The bilateral tensions reach new levels last year when Ethiopian Prime Minister demanded access to sea (through Eritrea) citing historical evidence.

It seems that if Eritrean soldiers are tried in Ethiopian courts, it would escalate tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

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