UMD Media, March 20, 2025
In a landmark move, eight survivors of the Tigray war in Ethiopia have filed a criminal complaint in Germany against 12 senior Ethiopian and Eritrean government and military officials, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity. This unprecedented legal action seeks to leverage Germany’s principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows for the prosecution of serious international crimes regardless of where they were committed.
The complainants, among them a former humanitarian aid worker and a former interim government official, have endured severe atrocities, including sexual violence, arbitrary detention, torture, and forced starvation. Denied justice in their home country, they now turn to the German Federal Public Prosecutor in hopes of accountability. Some of these survivors currently reside in Germany, underscoring the country’s jurisdictional mandate to pursue this case.
One survivor, Tsega (name changed for protection), shared his personal loss: “I’ve lost two of the most important people in my life in this war: my younger brother and my mom. The suffering and agony continue. We urgently need to bring to justice those who orchestrated and engineered these unimaginable crimes in Tigray.”
The Tigray war, which erupted in November 2020, has been marked by widespread allegations of atrocities, including massacres, sexual violence, and humanitarian aid blockades. Estimates suggest a death toll ranging from 300,000 to 800,000 individuals.
This legal initiative is spearheaded by Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), an independent organization of human rights lawyers and jurists. LAW’s Executive Director, Antonia Mulvey, emphasized the gravity of the situation: “The conflict in Ethiopia saw atrocities committed with a level of cruelty rarely seen. Yet in over two years since active hostilities ended, victims are no closer to seeing those responsible held to account.”
Germany’s application of universal jurisdiction has previously led to prosecutions related to crimes in Syria, Gambia, and Iraq. This case marks the first time such jurisdiction is invoked concerning the Tigray war, signaling a significant step toward international accountability.
The survivors’ legal team includes LAW, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, and Berlin-based criminal law firm Oehmichen International. Additionally, the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is providing pro bono counsel, with a team led by Catherine Amirfar, co-chair of the firm’s International Dispute Resolution and Public International Law Groups.
This groundbreaking complaint not only seeks justice for the survivors but also aims to shed light on the atrocities committed during the Tigray war, urging the international community to acknowledge and address these egregious violations.
The press release is available in multiple languages, including Amharic, Tigrinya, Arabic, and German, on the Legal Action Worldwide website.
This development underscores the critical role of universal jurisdiction in addressing international crimes and the ongoing pursuit of justice for victims of the Tigray war.
The US based New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy released a comprehensive report in June 2024 concluding that there is substantial evidence indicating that Ethiopian National Defense Force and allied forces, including the Eritrean Defense Forces and Amhara Special Forces, committed acts of genocide against Tigrayans during the Tigray war.
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