Ethiopia lessons in repression: violations of academic problems, HRW

In his “Thematic Report on Freedom of Opinion and Expression,” presented at the fifty-sixth session of
the H.R. Committee, the special rapporteur on freedom of expression focused mainly on self-censorship in
relation to defamation laws and suppression of women, but also took particular notice of “actions taken by
governments in relation to academic freedom.” These actions were found to include:
Suppression of research on such controversial topics as a national independence movement that
was active in the past; a ban on campuses of any independent organizations that are considered
political; refusal of permission to hold a seminar on human rights; state-supported harassment of
independent libraries that were established to provide access to materials to which there is no
access in state institutions; charges of having published a play that was considered blasphemous;
charges against and conviction of the head of a political science department, who was also a
contributor to a student magazine, for having defamed the religion of the state. 241
Knowingly encouraging self-censorship through government policies amounts to a violation of the
freedom of opinion, which is considered to be absolute, and is protected as such in the ICCPR—as noted in a
report by the special rapporteur at the fifty-first session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights on December
14, 1994:
The freedom to form an opinion was held to be absolute [in the travaux preparatoires of the
Covenant] and, in contrast to freedom of expression, not allowed to be restricted by law or any
other power. It is for these reasons that the Covenant in article 19 (1) declares an independent
right to hold opinions without interference. The absolute character of the protection offered by
article 19 (1) is furthermore underlined by article 19 (3), which stipulates that special duties and
responsibilities are only carried with the exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of
article 19, i.e. solely the right to freedom of expression and not the right to hold opinions. 242
Freedom of Association
Freedom of association for educators is a central component of academic freedom. The right to create
and join the association or trade union of one’s choice is a fundamental right of every individual; according to the
ICCPR, “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join
trade unions for the protection of his interests.” 243 The ICESCR similarly recognizes “[t]he right of everyone to
form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice.” 244 The African (Banjul) Charter for Human and
Peoples’ Rights states in its article 10, “Every individual shall have the right to free association.” 245 The ILO
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work has recognized freedom of association as one of the
“fundamental rights” that all ILO members have an obligation to respect and promote. 246 The ILO Convention
better not to write that story.’ Johnson continues: ‘The third time he thinks of an investigative story idea but doesn't bother
the editor with it because he knows it's silly. The fourth time he doesn't even think of the idea anymore.’” Jeff Cohen and
Norman Solomon, “Routine Somersaults of Self-Censorship,” Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, MediaBeat, Sept. 13,
1995.
241 Report of the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr.
Abid Hussain, to the Commission on Human Rights, 56 th Session, para.37, E/CN.4/2000/63 (2000). Mr. Abid Hussain
(India) was appointed special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
on 2 April 1993, pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/45.
242 Report of the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr.
Abid Hussain, to the Commission on Human Rights, 51 st Session, para. 24, E/CN.4/1995/32 (1994).
243 ICCPR, article 22(1). Ethiopia ratified the ICCPR on June 11, 1993.
244 ICESCR, article 8(1). Ethiopia ratified the ICESCR on June 11, 1993.
245 African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, articles 10 and 11 (1981). Ethiopia ratified the African Charter
on June 15, 1998.
246 International Labour Conference, ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 86 th Session, Geneva,
June 18, 1998. According to ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, “all Members, even if they
have not ratified the Conventions in question, have an obligation arising from the very fact of membership in the
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January 2003, Vol. 15,No. 2 (A)