At least 10,000 people were arbitrarily arrested and detained last year as part of the government's crackdown on armed attacks and violence in Oromia Region

Forces have burned homes to the ground, committed rape and extrajudicial execution in response to inter-communal violence

'With elections on the horizon, these violations and abuses could escalate out of control unless the government takes urgent measures' - Deprose Muchena

Ethiopian security forces committed horrendous human rights violations including burning homes to the ground, extrajudicial executions, rape, arbitrary arrests and detentions - sometimes of entire families - in response to attacks by armed groups and inter-communal violence in Amhara and Oromia, Amnesty International said today.

In a new report, Beyond law enforcement: human rights violations by Ethiopian security forces in Amhara and Oromia, Amnesty documents how security forces committed grave violations between December 2018 and December 2019, despite reforms which led to the release of thousands of detainees, expansion of the civic and political space and repeal of draconian laws - such as the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation - which were previously used to repress human rights.

Amnesty's report reveals that the Liyu police, local administration militia and two Amhara youth vigilante groups joined forces to attack members of the Qimant community in January last year, and again in September and October, leaving at least 100 dead and hundreds displaced.

Security forces and vigilante groups also attacked a Qimant settlement in Metema, with grenades and guns and set homes on fire last year.

Brutal beatings, lifetime scars

Last year at least 10,000 people were arbitrarily arrested and detained as part of the government's crackdown on armed attacks and inter-communal violence in Oromia Region.