EHRC Reports No Human Rights Violations Observed Thus Far in Ethiopia’s 7th General Election

Addis Ababa, June 1, 2026 —The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reported that it has not observed any human rights violations thus far during Ethiopia’s 7th General Election, as millions of citizens continue casting their ballots across the country.

Ethiopia is holding its 7th General Election with more than 54 million registered voters participating in the process to elect representatives to the House of People’s Representatives and regional state councils.

Polling stations nationwide opened at 6:00 a.m., marking the start of a vote widely regarded as a significant milestone in the country’s democratic journey.

 

As part of its constitutional mandate, the EHRC is conducting nationwide monitoring of the electoral process to assess voting conditions and ensure the protection of voters’ rights throughout Election Day.

A monitoring delegation led by EHRC Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adelo visited polling stations in Arba Minch and Jimma to observe the conduct of the election and evaluate compliance with electoral and human rights standards.

Speaking after the visits, Chief Commissioner Berhanu Adelo stated that voters, including women, men, and persons with disabilities, were able to access polling stations without restrictions and participate freely in the voting process.

 

According to the Chief Commissioner, observations made so far indicate that the election has been conducted in accordance with applicable electoral laws and human rights principles.

He noted that polling stations opened on schedule at 6:00 a.m., with voters, election officials, and observers present as voting commenced.

The Commission further reported that the voting process has remained peaceful, orderly, and well-organized, with no human rights violations recorded to date.

EHRC teams are monitoring the election across 175 constituencies and more than 2,700 polling stations nationwide, the Chief Commissioner pointed out.

The Commission also noted that election-related grievances are being tracked through a dedicated complaint-monitoring mechanism established to address concerns that may arise during the electoral process.

 

The EHRC emphasized that it will continue observing both election-day activities and the post-election period to ensure that human rights are respected and protected throughout the electoral cycle.

As voting continues nationwide, the strong turnout witnessed across many polling stations signals robust public engagement in shaping the country's future through the ballot box, ENA also learned.