Ethiopia lessons in repression: violations of academic problems, HRW
Ethiopia lessons in repression: violations of academic problems, HRW
Ethiopia lessons in repression: violations of academic problems, HRW
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In his “Thematic Report on Freedom <strong>of</strong> Op<strong>in</strong>ion and Expression,” presented at the fifty-sixth session <strong>of</strong><br />
the H.R. Committee, the special rapporteur on freedom <strong>of</strong> expression focused ma<strong>in</strong>ly on self-censorship <strong>in</strong><br />
relation to defamation laws and suppression <strong>of</strong> women, but also took particular notice <strong>of</strong> “actions taken by<br />
governments <strong>in</strong> relation to <strong>academic</strong> freedom.” These actions were found to <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />
Suppression <strong>of</strong> research on such controversial topics as a national <strong>in</strong>dependence movement that<br />
was active <strong>in</strong> the past; a ban on campuses <strong>of</strong> any <strong>in</strong>dependent organizations that are considered<br />
political; refusal <strong>of</strong> permission to hold a sem<strong>in</strong>ar on human rights; state-supported harassment <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent libraries that were established to provide access to materials to which there is no<br />
access <strong>in</strong> state <strong>in</strong>stitutions; charges <strong>of</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g published a play that was considered blasphemous;<br />
charges aga<strong>in</strong>st and conviction <strong>of</strong> the head <strong>of</strong> a political science department, who was also a<br />
contributor to a student magaz<strong>in</strong>e, for hav<strong>in</strong>g defamed the religion <strong>of</strong> the state. 241<br />
Know<strong>in</strong>gly encourag<strong>in</strong>g self-censorship through government policies amounts to a violation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
freedom <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion, which is considered to be absolute, and is protected as such <strong>in</strong> the ICCPR—as noted <strong>in</strong> a<br />
report by the special rapporteur at the fifty-first session <strong>of</strong> the U.N. Commission on Human Rights on December<br />
14, 1994:<br />
The freedom to form an op<strong>in</strong>ion was held to be absolute [<strong>in</strong> the travaux preparatoires <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Covenant] and, <strong>in</strong> contrast to freedom <strong>of</strong> expression, not allowed to be restricted by law or any<br />
other power. It is for these reasons that the Covenant <strong>in</strong> article 19 (1) declares an <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
right to hold op<strong>in</strong>ions without <strong>in</strong>terference. The absolute character <strong>of</strong> the protection <strong>of</strong>fered by<br />
article 19 (1) is furthermore underl<strong>in</strong>ed by article 19 (3), which stipulates that special duties and<br />
responsibilities are only carried with the exercise <strong>of</strong> the rights provided for <strong>in</strong> paragraph 2 <strong>of</strong><br />
article 19, i.e. solely the right to freedom <strong>of</strong> expression and not the right to hold op<strong>in</strong>ions. 242<br />
Freedom <strong>of</strong> Association<br />
Freedom <strong>of</strong> association for educators is a central component <strong>of</strong> <strong>academic</strong> freedom. The right to create<br />
and jo<strong>in</strong> the association or trade union <strong>of</strong> one’s choice is a fundamental right <strong>of</strong> every <strong>in</strong>dividual; accord<strong>in</strong>g to the<br />
ICCPR, “Everyone shall have the right to freedom <strong>of</strong> association with others, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the right to form and jo<strong>in</strong><br />
trade unions for the protection <strong>of</strong> his <strong>in</strong>terests.” 243 The ICESCR similarly recognizes “[t]he right <strong>of</strong> everyone to<br />
form trade unions and jo<strong>in</strong> the trade union <strong>of</strong> his choice.” 244 The African (Banjul) Charter for Human and<br />
Peoples’ Rights states <strong>in</strong> its article 10, “Every <strong>in</strong>dividual shall have the right to free association.” 245 The ILO<br />
Declaration on Fundamental Pr<strong>in</strong>ciples and Rights at Work has recognized freedom <strong>of</strong> association as one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
“fundamental rights” that all ILO members have an obligation to respect and promote. 246 The ILO Convention<br />
better not to write that story.’ Johnson cont<strong>in</strong>ues: ‘The third time he th<strong>in</strong>ks <strong>of</strong> an <strong>in</strong>vestigative story idea but doesn't bother<br />
the editor with it because he knows it's silly. The fourth time he doesn't even th<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> the idea anymore.’” Jeff Cohen and<br />
Norman Solomon, “Rout<strong>in</strong>e Somersaults <strong>of</strong> Self-Censorship,” Fairness and Accuracy <strong>in</strong> Report<strong>in</strong>g, MediaBeat, Sept. 13,<br />
1995.<br />
241 Report <strong>of</strong> the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection <strong>of</strong> the right to freedom <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion and expression, Mr.<br />
Abid Hussa<strong>in</strong>, to the Commission on Human Rights, 56 th Session, para.37, E/CN.4/2000/63 (2000). Mr. Abid Hussa<strong>in</strong><br />
(India) was appo<strong>in</strong>ted special rapporteur on the promotion and protection <strong>of</strong> the right to freedom <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion and expression<br />
on 2 April 1993, pursuant to Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/45.<br />
242 Report <strong>of</strong> the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection <strong>of</strong> the right to freedom <strong>of</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion and expression, Mr.<br />
Abid Hussa<strong>in</strong>, to the Commission on Human Rights, 51 st Session, para. 24, E/CN.4/1995/32 (1994).<br />
243 ICCPR, article 22(1). <strong>Ethiopia</strong> ratified the ICCPR on June 11, 1993.<br />
244 ICESCR, article 8(1). <strong>Ethiopia</strong> ratified the ICESCR on June 11, 1993.<br />
245 African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, articles 10 and 11 (1981). <strong>Ethiopia</strong> ratified the African Charter<br />
on June 15, 1998.<br />
246 International Labour Conference, ILO Declaration on Fundamental Pr<strong>in</strong>ciples and Rights at Work, 86 th Session, Geneva,<br />
June 18, 1998. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to ILO Declaration on Fundamental Pr<strong>in</strong>ciples and Rights at Work, “all Members, even if they<br />
have not ratified the Conventions <strong>in</strong> question, have an obligation aris<strong>in</strong>g from the very fact <strong>of</strong> membership <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Human Rights Watch<br />
46<br />
January 2003, Vol. 15,No. 2 (A)