The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued a statement on the 127th Adwa Victory Day outlining the problem caused by the government’s security forces.
According to a statement from the commission, government security personnel who reacted inappropriately and used excessive force during the festival should be held legally accountable and should receive the necessary training to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In his remarks on the events, the chief commissioner, Daniel Bekele, emphasized that the security forces used excessive force—including beatings, tear gas, bullets, and other tactics—against the people who showed up to celebrate the occasion.
According to the commissioner, even children and elderly people were injured, and one person passed away as a result of the incident. The commissioner also mentioned that several people had suffered injuries.
He claimed that those who had gathered in Menilk Square to commemorate both the Adwa victory day and the nearby religious holiday at St. George’s Church had been forcibly removed.
It was emphasized that the security force’s top priority is the protection of everyone’s human rights and the general welfare, and that any unreasonable or excessive actions taken by the security forces should be the subject of a legal investigation.