Eight survivors of the forgotten conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia, including a former humanitarian aid worker and a former interim government official, have filed a groundbreaking criminal complaint with the German Federal Public Prosecutor alleging that twelve senior Ethiopian and Eritrean government officials and military officers committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict.
These survivors, like hundreds of thousands of others, are victims and witnesses of sexual violence, arbitrary detention, torture, and starvation, and thus far have been denied access to justice for their suffering. As one of their only hopes for accountability, these survivors, some of whom currently reside in Germany, have requested the German Federal Public Prosecutor open an investigation into these crimes.
‘It’s been a privilege to work with Legal Action Worldwide ( LAW) to be a voice for the voiceless people of Tigray. I’ve lost two of the most important people in my life in this war: my younger brother and my mom. The suffering and agony continues. Tigrayans are still dying every day. We urgently need to bring to justice those who orchestrated and engineered these unimaginable crimes in Tigray – this would bring peace of mind to me and to the people of Tigray,’ said Tsega, a male survivor, name changed to protect identity.
Since it began in November 2020, the conflict in Tigray has been characterised by persistent allegations of atrocities including forced starvation, humanitarian aid blockades, massacres, sexual and gender-based violence, torture, and arbitrary detention. These violations and abuses were predominantly committed against Tigrayan civilians by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, as well as allied militia groups, although other parties to the conflict and civilians from other ethnic groups have also been implicated. One widely cited source puts the conflict’s death toll at anywhere between 300,000 and 800,000 people.
The complaint the eight Tigrayan survivors have filed attempts to seek accountability for some of these atrocities. Prepared by their representatives Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) and Dr. Anna Oehmichen, with support from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the complaint requests the German Federal Public Prosecutor to open an investigation into the alleged crimes under the legal principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows states to prosecute international crimes committed abroad due to the egregious nature of the underlying conduct.
German authorities have successfully used the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute atrocity crimes that occurred in Syria, The Gambia, and Iraq. Tigrayan victims are now rightfully demanding their own day in court. Should the complaint proceed to investigation, it will be the first time that such an investigation has been undertaken. Read more…