Ethiopia Rights Body Flags Network Outages and Registration Delays in Election Phase

Mintesinot Niggusie

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said disruptions in network services and delays in election materials affected the pre-election process, alongside broader concerns over voter registration and logistical challenges across the country.

Civil and political rights director Mekdes Amanu said the process faced a combination of infrastructure limitations and human rights-related concerns. The report said nationwide network disruptions interfered with technology-supported candidate registration systems.

It also noted delays in the delivery of election materials and the distance of registration centres from displacement sites, which created difficulties particularly in the Afar and Gambella regions. The commission also reported cases of political activity taking place in restricted areas.

Opposition parties were reportedly prevented from holding meetings in Addis Ababa, Somali, and Oromia. Concerns were also raised about limited access for persons with disabilities, citing shortages of information and lack of sign language interpreters.

The commission called on relevant authorities to address the identified gaps and ensure the protection of democratic rights in upcoming electoral processes.