Ethiopia had earlier slammed decision to hold special session and had urged countries to vote against the draft text. The UN Human Rights Council has voted to launch an international investigation into abuses in Ethiopia, despite protests from Addis Ababa, amid warnings of looming generalised violence. The 47-member council voted with 21 in favour, 15 opposed and 11 abstentions on Friday to order the establishment of “an international commission of human rights experts on Ethiopia” to probe a wide range of alleged violations and abuses by all sides. Speaking at the largely virtual one-day session, Nada al-Nashif, the deputy rights chief, said the UN was continuing to receive “credible reports” that all sides in the brutal 13-month conflict have been committing severe human rights violations amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. A joint investigation by the UN rights office and Ethiopia’s human rights commission warned last month that possible war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed by all sides during the Tigray conflict.

Source: Ethiopian News December 17, 2021 20:57 UTC