Ethiopian Immigration Director will be given immense powers if a draft amendment is approved by the Ethiopian parliament. The draft amendment is being introduced to make changes to the law governing restrictions on individuals about leaving the country.
Current law about banning people from leaving the country states, “Anyone can be banned from leaving Ethiopia only when ordered by the court according to the law.” An amendment to the bill tabled in Parliament would grant the same powers to the director-general of the Immigration and Naturalization Service which are held by court.
The new amendment stipulates, “When the director general of the service believes that there is a clear and irreparable situation that causes serious damage to the national interest and security based on the information obtained from the relevant security services and law enforcement bodies or the information obtained by the service itself, he can ban anyone from leaving the country.”
The draft amendment further mentions, “If it ( Ethiopian Immigration department) detains a person who has been prevented from leaving the country, it must ensure that he is brought before a court.”
Ethiopian journalists, activists and political workers have been fleeing the country for the last 3 years. Some government critics managed to leave the country through country’s airports as their names were not placed on exit control list.
A senior politician of the ruling Prosperity Party, Gedu Andargachew, fled Ethiopia through Bole International Airport earlier this year. Some immigration officials were suspended in this regard. Gedu has been very critical of the government. He opposed the government’s decision to impose state of emergency in the Amhara region.
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