blocked from entering the region from July. Dawud Ibsa, the chairman of the Oromo This led to an alarming deterioration in the Liberation Front, an Ethiopian opposition health of the population as a result of political party, remained under house arrest depleted anti-HIV, cancer and diabetes in Addis Ababa. Since his arrest on 3 May, medication, as well as starvation. The last aid the police have not allowed anyone to leave convoy allowed into Tigray was on 25 or enter the compound of his residence. November, and it was not carrying medicine. RIGHT TO HEALTH ABUSES BY ARMED GROUPS The Ministry of Health reported close to Ethnic violence claimed at least 1,500 lives in 400,000 cases of Covid-19 and 6,531 deaths the Oromia, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, as a result of the virus, by December. Political Afar and Somali regions. gatherings including indoor meetings, Territorial disputes between the Somali and continued. The ministry administered almost Afar regions triggered repeated armed 5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, received violence. In January, an attack by the Somali from donor countries. According to the WHO Issa militia in Adaytu village killed at least 40 Regional Office for Africa, as of 2 December, members of the Afar and federal police. On 6 Ethiopia had fully vaccinated only 1.23% of April, at least 30 people were killed during its population. armed violence between Afar and Somali people. On 24 July, hundreds of residents 1. “Ethiopia: End arbitrary detentions of Tigrayans, activists and were killed in an armed attack by Afar people journalists in Addis Ababa and reveal whereabouts of unaccounted on Gerba Isse town. Following the attack, at detainees”, 16 July least three women were gang raped. 2. “I Don’t Know if They Realized I Was a Person”: Rape and Sexual On 19 March, several days of violence Violence in the Conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia (Index: AFR 25/4569/2021), broke out in Ataye town in the North Shewa 11 August Zone, Amhara region, and spread to 3. “Ethiopia: Survivors of TPLF attack in Amhara describe gang rape, neighbouring areas of the Oromia Special looting and physical assaults”, 9 November Zone, resulting in hundreds of deaths, and 4. “Ethiopia: Tigrayans targeted in fresh wave of ethnically motivated destruction and looting of property. detentions in Addis Ababa”, 12 November ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS FIJI Police in the capital, Addis Ababa, and other cities arbitrarily arrested and detained thousands of Tigrayans. The arrests appeared Republic of Fiji to be ethnically motivated and the police Head of state: Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere (replaced checked identity documents before arresting Jioji Konrote in November) and taking people to detention centres. Head of government: Josaia Voreqe “Frank” Tigrayan activists, journalists and media Bainimarama workers at media outlets Awlo Media and Repressive laws were used to silence critics Ethio Forum, who reported on the situation in and the right to peaceful assembly was Tigray region, were among those arrested. restricted. The government introduced The use of arbitrary detention against oppressive measures in response to the Tigrayans increased after the government Covid-19 pandemic including harsh declared a state of emergency on 2 lockdowns and fines that disproportionately November. The measure allowed the affected people living in informal authorities to arrest, without a warrant, settlements. anyone if there was “reasonable suspicion” BACKGROUND that they had cooperated with “terrorist groups”, and to detain them without judicial In September, the government declared a 4 review indefinitely. climate emergency and passed a Climate Amnesty International Report 2021/22 165