But their response should not undermine defendants’ presumption of innocence, run roughshod over detainees’ rights, nor restrict legitimate critical dissent, Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch interviews with lawyers, relatives, and people released from detention found that detentions and investigations have been marred by serious due process violations. This is not consistent with the facts that Human Rights Watch has determined in many cases. However, Human Rights Watch was told of cases in which police investigators also ignored court decisions denying appeals. In the last decade, Human Rights Watch and other domestic and international human rights organizations have documented arbitrary arrests and politically motivated prosecutions to stifle dissent in Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopian News August 15, 2020 04:07 UTC