Ethiopian hate speech and freedom of expression: an examination of hate speech and disinformation suppression laws

Abstract

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right for every person around the world. It is recognized by the United Nations as the most important instrument in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). As with most human rights, there are limitations and restrictions on freedom of expression. Domestically, the 1995 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Constitution in its Article 29 describes the "Right of Thought, Opinion, and Expression. SubArticle 6 of Article 29 has limitations on freedom of expression through laws. Hate speech is one of the most globally recognized restraints on freedom of expression. Thus, there is intolerance and hostility among certain societal groups that is caused by the spread of hate speech and false information. In combating these, the Ethiopian parliament passed the bill: Hate Speech & Disinformation Suppression Proclamation No. 1185/2020. The goal of this paper was to investigate the legitimate grounds for restricting freedom of expression and to analyze the Ethiopian hate speech and disinformation suppression proclamation through the lens of international human rights law in order to provide knowledge on the anticipated challenges and opportunities in the proclamation's implementation. The research employed doctrinal methods. Accordingly, the study found that although the law is in conformity with the Ethiopian constitution, it does not conform to international hate speech law standards and principles. The law is necessary in Ethiopia's current situation, but it has flaws. Hence, genuine implementation by judicial bodies and non-legal means, including creating awareness among societies, is crucial in mitigating the limitations of the law.