On September 26 last year, during its 90th regular meeting, the Council of Ministers has discussed and referred the draft Criminal Procedure Code, which was last enacted in 1961, to the HoPR. The EHRC commended the strength in the draft Criminal Procedure Code such as clearly stateing the purpose of criminal proceedings which is the respect of human rights enshrined in the constitution. “The draft criminal procedure and the law of evidence should be amended in terms of human rights. Another strength of the draft law is that it guarantees suspects and defendants the protection against human rights abuses, cruel or degrading treatment in detention. Concerns about negotiations and traditional judicial systems were likely to put a strain on human rights, according to the EHRC.

Source: Ethiopian News January 14, 2021 15:27 UTC