According to the EHRC report, both Oromia and Amhara have seen a spike in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial detentions. In many cases, civilians are abducted and held by armed actors who demand ransom payments for their release. Mizanie Abate, head of human rights monitoring at the Commission, stated that many hostages unable to pay were subjected to torture or killed in captivity. The report suggests these abuses are systemic and fueled by ongoing insecurity and weakened state control.

The Commission's presentation marked the first major public statement under Adello’s leadership, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and civilian protection. The armed conflicts in Amhara and Oromia—longstanding flashpoints of resistance and unrest—have intensified in recent years, prompting widespread displacement and deepening mistrust between communities and state institutions.

Civil Society Fears Mount As Legal Reform Looms

The report also addressed a broader climate of repression affecting civil society in Ethiopia. Human Rights Watch recently raised concerns over proposed amendments to the 2019 law governing non-governmental organizations. Critics argue the changes could empower the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Authority (ACSO) to suspend associations more easily, thereby stifling dissent and weakening human rights monitoring ahead of the 2026 elections.

Mizanie Abate warned that any rollback of civil society freedoms would represent a step backward for the country’s fragile democratic progress. “We are watching the situation closely,” he said, stressing that independent civil action must be preserved to prevent further erosion of accountability. The EHRC called for reforms that protect both civil liberties and institutional independence in a volatile pre-election environment.