Human Rights Focused Regional Police Reform Guidance in Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, all regions have established military police, commonly named as Special Police Forces, in addition to civil police force and their service is encircled by human rights concerns. The purpose of this study was to investigate police reform measures and principles on the basis of FDRE Constitution that address human rights concerns of the regional police institutions in Ethiopia. The study employed qualitative approach, in particular the doctrinal legal research method. First, the study found that the operation of Regional Special Police Forces has human rights paradoxes. Second, the study has revealed the relevance of introducing human rights-based police reform and its principles viz-a-viz democratic policing, rule of law policing, community-inclusive policing, and impartial policing; since the reform approach and the principles have due recognition under FDRE Constitution. The study has recommended the following.  First, the government should take legislative and policy reform measure on the regional Special Forces.  Second, the police reform should be guided by the human rights approach and principled on democratic policing, rule of law policing, community-inclusive policing, and impartial policing. Finally, both Federal and Regional Governments legislative and executive organs should take coordinated reform action on the regional police institutions, as they are under obligation to ensure the observance of the principles of FDRE Constitution up on policing service in Ethiopia.