Preparation of Transitional Justice Implementation Roadmap finalized and is now in effect – MoJ

Addis Ababa, August 19, 2024 (FBC) – Transitional Justice Implementation Roadmap and State of the Drafting of Legal Frameworks preparatory works have been completed and is now in effect, the Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia (MoJ) confirmed in an official press release.

Since the adoption of the FDRE Transitional Justice Policy by the Council of Ministers on 17 April 2024, various preparatory measures have been undertaken with a view to transitioning to a full-fledged implementations phase, the official statement from the Ministry confirmed today.

“One of the activities involves designing the Transitional Justice Implementations Roadmap which guides the overall implementation, follow-up and support schemes under the Policy; work on the Roadmap is now completed.”

On the other hand, one of the key interventions foreseen under the Policy involves the preparation of legal frameworks that establish and organize independent and impartial institutions tasked with implementation of the various components of the transitional justice mechanism, MoJ stated.

Accordingly, the preparation of legislations that establish the Criminalization and Punishment of International Crimes in Ethiopia and organize the Truth, Amnesty and Reparations Commission as well as other entities responsible for implementation of various pillars of the transitional justice process is already underway.

Further, the drafting of legislation providing for powers and procedures of the Special Bench that adjudicates cases of criminal accountability falling within the fold of transitional justice is being pursued under the tutelage and coordination of the Federal Supreme Court.

The preparation of the legal frameworks is tamed out by teams of professionals holding significant expertise and experience in the field. Once concluded, national and international consultation platforms shall be organized for the public and stakeholders to provide detailed feedback on the draft legislations.

The timely adoption of these legislations will play a critical role in realizing the objectives stated in the Policy, and more precisely, in dispensing a comprehensive justice by operationalizing various mechanisms of transitional justice including truth-seeking, reconciliation, criminal accountability, conditional amnesty, reparation, and institutional reform, Secretariat of the Transitional Justice Institutional Coordination Mechanism said via the official statement.