Ethiopia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity...
- News items in the archive
- 103
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Ethiopia is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 103 news items on Ethiopia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JANUARY 1, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2006EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA PARDONS DETAINEES IN 'NEW YEAR' FETE
Ethiopia granted amnesties to hundreds of prison inmates in the first such move in five decades that also saw death row convicts have their sentences commuted, officials said.
- MAY 23, 2006EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. MENGISTU VERDICT DELAYED
a verdict has been postponed until next year in the 12-year genocide trial of Ethiopia's former Marxist ruler.
- FEBRUARY 2, 2006EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. OPPOSITION MEMBERS RISK DEATH PENALTY
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said that jailed opposition leaders accused of fomenting a coup after disputed elections in 2005 will be tried despite appeals for their release.
- JANUARY 1, 2006EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- DECEMBER 9, 2005EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. FIGURE IN ETHIOPIA 'RED TERROR' SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Federal High Court sentenced to death Major Melaku Tefera, one of Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam's top soldiers, for genocide during the country's 1970s "Red Terror" campaign.
- NOVEMBER 9, 2005CanadaDEATH PENALTY
USA. NO DEATH PENALTY IN NEW GUANTANAMO CASES
the Pentagon said the United States would not seek the death penalty against any of the five Guantanamo Bay prisoners it had announced charges against on November 7.
- AUGUST 11, 2005EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. COURT SENTENCES SENIOR MENGISTU REGIME OFFICIALS TO DIE
two senior officials from Ethiopia's Soviet-backed communist government were sentenced to death for atrocities committed during the 1974 to 1991 rule of dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam.
- APRIL 20, 2005EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Ethiopia voted against the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Ethiopia voted against the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- MARCH 1, 2005EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. GENOCIDE CONVICT SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced to death Colonel Tiruneh Habteselassie for genocide committed during the Dergue regime in the former Kembata and Hadiya district. Habteselassie was found guilty on two charges, homicide and extrajudicial impris
- JANUARY 1, 2005EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- OCTOBER 19, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced three...
The Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced three genocide convicts to death and one other to a 20-year prison term for killing 207 people in East and West Harerge zones in 1991
- APRIL 21, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Ethiopia voted against the resolution on the death...
Ethiopia voted against the resolution on the death penalty at the 60th UN Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 11, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Ethiopian Federal High Court in Addis Ababa sentenced...
The Ethiopian Federal High Court in Addis Ababa sentenced Maj Tsehaye Woldeselase to death by firing squad after convicting him of killing Ethiopia's former Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs General Manager Kinfe Gebremedhin
- FEBRUARY 19, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
An Ethiopian high court sentenced to death Fisseha...
An Ethiopian high court sentenced to death Fisseha Biresa and Dereje Deme, two members of the rebel Oromo Liberation Front, after they were found guilty of of killing 43 innocent civilians in Mugi town in Oromia State, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) west
- JANUARY 27, 2004EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The 5th Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court in...
The 5th Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, sentenced to death by firing squad Jemal Mustafa, a fighter of the Oromo Liberation Front
- NOVEMBER 13, 2003EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Solomon Yimsegan, chairman of a revolutionary guard...
Solomon Yimsegan, chairman of a revolutionary guard squad in Addis Ababa during Mengistu's "Red Terror" period that followed the overthrow of emperor Haile Selassie, was sentenced to death for his role in the killing of 13 inmates and the torture of 51 be
- AUGUST 4, 2003EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Ethiopian Federal High Court sentenced 21 defendants,...
The Ethiopian Federal High Court sentenced 21 defendants, four of them to death, they had been indicted on charges of extra judicial killings of religious leaders and eminent personalities during the reign of Colonel Mengistu's military government
- JUNE 7, 2003EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Ethiopian High Court sentenced Eshetu Shinkute...
The Ethiopian High Court sentenced Eshetu Shinkute Belete to publicly hang for his involvement in the extra-judicial executions of 27 people during the 1977-78 "Red Terror" period of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam
- JANUARY 6, 2003EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Ethiopian High Court sentenced to death five people...
The Ethiopian High Court sentenced to death five people found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1977-78 "Red Terror" period of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam
- JANUARY 1, 2003EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The 1994 Constitution at Part I on Human Rights, makes...
The 1994 Constitution at Part I on Human Rights, makes provision for the death penalty
- APRIL 12, 2002EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
An Ethiopian court sentenced five members of a Somali...
An Ethiopian court sentenced five members of a Somali Islamic group to be publicly hanged for killing 27 civilians in bomb attacks during the mid-1990s
- FEBRUARY 28, 2002EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
A court hearing the cases of OLF [Oromo Liberation...
A court hearing the cases of OLF [Oromo Liberation Front - opposition] combatants sentenced one of them to capital punishment and another to life imprisonment for genocide, armed rebellion and war crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2002EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity...
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes
- DECEMBER 1, 2001EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The execution of ethnic Borenas in Oromiya Regional...
The execution of ethnic Borenas in Oromiya Regional State [central Ethiopia] resumed after a short lull
- NOVEMBER 27, 2001EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
About 100 ethnic Oromos were executed at the beginning...
About 100 ethnic Oromos were executed at the beginning of November after being detained by EPRDF [Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, ruling coalition] armed forces
- AUGUST 28, 2001EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Demonstrators in the capital city Addis Ababa requested...
Demonstrators in the capital city Addis Ababa requested the government to impose capital punishment against crimes involving rape, assault and sexual harassment
- MAY 11, 2001EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Girma Wakjirra, Ethiopia's chief special prosecutor...
Girma Wakjirra, Ethiopia's chief special prosecutor for the reign of terror campaign that took place in the country between 1977-78, told parliament the courts had passed verdicts on 1,181 of the 6,180 genocide cases since the trials started in 1994
- MARCH 17, 2001EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
The Sixth Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court...
The Sixth Criminal Bench of the Federal High Court sentenced a genocide convict to death Kefelegn Alemu, who received the death penalty in absentia, for ordering, coordinating and participating in the execution of 101 people