Thread by @MediaUmd

🧵The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on #Ethiopia (ICHREE) based in #Entebe, #Uganda is scheduled to present its interim report on Thursday Sept 22, 2022 in #Geneva according to UMD Media sources in the city.
The sources said the ICHREE is facing 1/14

mounting challenges in “a form that would amount to interference” in its work from some #European countries that are normally known for advocating for accountability for human rights violations in different parts of the world. Our sources were unable to reveal the names of 2/14

the European countries.
Access to #Tigray for the commission has been a significant challenge.
The ICHREE's request for access some time in July was first declared as accepted by Redwan Hussien, PM Abiy Ahmed’s National Security Advisor. Justice Minister Gedion Timotheos 3/14

did not agree. It is to be recalled these two high officials were Ethiopia’s representatives in the recent Djibouti peace talks with Tigray’s Getachew Reda, Tsadkan Gebretinsae and Wondimu Assaminew.
A source from the PM’s office disclosed to UMD Media that it was after 4/14

a reprimand from PM Abiy Ahmed that Redwan Hussien retracted his statement by deleting the second part of his original tweet from July 28 below. Redwan Hussien later said access to Tigray is only for the envoys of the US, EU, UN and envoys, not the ICHREE commissioners. 5/14

The pressure from Ethiopia’s Government through its Human Rights Commission (EHRC) led by #DanielBekelle on the ICHREE is for the ICHREE to accept the Report of Joint Investigation by UN and EHRC released November 2021, which the ICHREE rejected requesting instead to access 6/14

data from the Joint Investigation.

Both the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet and Daniel Bekele refused to give access to ICHREE. They wanted the ICHREE to conduct investigation on violations after August 2021 7/14

UMD Media’s source in #AddisAbaba who has followed Daniel Bekele’s office closely said, “this attempt to limit the mandate of the ICHREE is a deliberate way of avoiding investigation before the take over of major parts of Tigray by Tigray Defense Forces effectively limiting 8/14

the investigation to violations in Afar and Amhara only.”
The UN Security Council (UNSC) is expected to meet and discuss on Ethiopia in the coming days. The meeting was repeatedly postponed as the UNSC was reportedly waiting to hear a report from Special Envoy Mike Hammer 9/14

on his recent travel to the region. The Special Envoy is scheduled to brief the media on Tuesday.
The ICHREE in a statement issued on Sept 7 citing “the threat to peace and security in the region”, and the “the gravity of the situation” said it welcome the decision of the 10/14

UNSC to discuss the situation in Ethiopia, called upon the UNSC to take action needed to ensure the protection of civilians and prevent escalation that could further destabilize the region, and urged it to keep Ethiopia & the Horn of Africa high on its agenda.
Abiy Ahmed’s 11/14

government had opposed to the establishment of the ICHREE in December 2021 and attempted to block funding for the ICHREE at a UN General Assembly's budget committee meeting in April without success after 66 member states voted against Ethiopia’s text.
@hrw in its statement 12/14

issued following the vote said,
"UN member countries sent a strong message to Ethiopia today that its brazen attempt to escape accountability for war crimes and other abuses by defunding the UN’s human rights investigation is unacceptable.”
How the unmet 13/14

demands of the ICHREE in terms of unhindered access to visit sites without delay and speak with survivors, witnesses, and other persons of interest privately and freely might have affected its hitherto work is something UMD Media’s source in Geneva could not comment on. 14/14