Ethiopia: Tigray Authorities Should Withdraw Abusive Law

Nairobi — Party Orders Forced Conscription; Threatens Dissent

Regional authorities in Ethiopia's Tigray region should withdraw a proclamation that purports to grant them sweeping powers to compel military service and punish dissent, Human Rights Watch said today.

Tigray's main political party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), issued the proclamation in early June 2026 after driving out regional leaders appointed by the federal government and initiating an intensive conscription drive that bears similarities to Eritrea's abusive national service system.