Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 9 December about the situation in Ethiopia; what steps they intend to take (1) to implement independent monitoring, (2) to protect human rights, and (3) to hold those responsible for human rights violations to account, in that country.
We share the concerns about the situation in Ethiopia expressed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in her statement of 9 December. The UK has, alongside international partners, called on all sides to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect human rights. There must also be accountability for any human rights abuses and violations. We welcome the call by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission for the independent investigation of human rights violations. We are tracking the situation and continue to raise the importance of respect for human rights with the Government of Ethiopia and leaders on both sides, while pressing for an early political solution.