Active case
Persecution of Amhara people
Since the early 1990s, the Amhara people of Ethiopia have reportedly experienced repeated waves of ethnic violence, including massacres, mass graves, abductions, and displacement.
The violence has been linked to Ethiopia's 1994 constitution, which introduced an ethnic-federalist system including Article 39, granting ethnic groups a right to secede. Perpetrators identified across different periods include the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and its successor Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), the Oromo Liberation Front and its former military wing the Oromo Liberation Army (OLF-OLA), Oromo "Qeerroo" youth groups, and armed Gumuz groups in the Metekel Zone of Benishangul-Gumuz region. The TPLF-dominated EPRDF coalition ruled Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, a period during which mass killings, disappearances, and crackdowns on Amhara intellectuals and civic leaders — including the imprisonment and mistreatment of Asrat Woldeyes — were reported.
Following a 2018 political transition that brought the Oromo-led Prosperity Party to power under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, attacks reportedly intensified, including the 2018 Burayu massacre, the 2019 Shashemene massacre, mass violence following the 2020 assassination of singer Hachalu Hundessa, and the 2022 Tole/Gimbi and Kellem massacres in the Oromia region's Wollega zone, with witnesses attributing these to the OLA. Amhara university students were also abducted from Dembi Dolo University in 2019.
The Tigray War, which began in November 2020, reportedly expanded the scale of violence. A pro-TPLF youth group was reported to have killed an estimated 600–1,500 Amhara civilians in the town of Mai-Kadra, and after Tigray Defense Forces recaptured Tigray, they advanced into and were accused of massacring civilians in the Amhara and Afar regions from July 2021, with reports of sexual violence, looting, and destruction of villages. Over 2 million Amhara were reportedly displaced.
A "War in Amhara" began in 2023, including drone strikes in late 2023 that reportedly killed civilians, a reported killing of 45 civilians by Ethiopian troops in early 2024, and a September 2024 accusation by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission that federal forces carried out extrajudicial killings and mass arbitrary detentions in the Amhara region.
National census analyses and a report by the head of Ethiopia's Central Statistical Agency indicated that more than 2 million Amhara could not be traced, a figure associated with decades of killings and disappearances. State media has been criticized for selective coverage of atrocities, and international rights organizations and media outlets have reportedly faced restricted access to the country during parts of this period.
Key facts
- Victims
- Asrat Woldeyes
- Date
- 1991
- Location
- Amhara Region and surrounding areas, Ethiopia
- Case status
- ongoing
Case timeline
1991
TPLF-dominated EPRDF coalition takes power in Ethiopia following the end of the Derg communist regime, introducing an ethnic-federalist constitution including Article 39 on self-determination.
2003
TPLF regime reportedly commits the Gambela massacre against the Anuak minority.
2018-09
Burayu massacre occurs on the outskirts of Addis Ababa; Oromo Qeerroo youth groups reportedly attack non-Oromo residents including Amhara.
2018
Oromo-led Prosperity Party comes to power under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed following the collapse of the EPRDF regime.
2019
Shashemene massacre occurs in Oromia; witnesses report coordinated mobs targeting Amhara and other Orthodox Christians.
2019
Abduction of 17 Amhara university students reported from Dembi Dolo University; case reported as still open as of May 2022.
2020-07
Mass violence follows the assassination of Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa; over 200 people reportedly killed in attacks blamed on Amhara civilians.
2020-11
Tigray War begins; pro-TPLF youth group reportedly kills 600-1,500 Amhara civilians in Mai-Kadra.
2020
Series of attacks in Ataye and surrounding North Shewa towns reported, described as largely destroying the town.
2021-04
Amhara demonstrations held under the slogan 'Beka' (NoMore), calling for government protection amid ongoing massacres.
2021-07
Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) invade Amhara and Afar regions following recapture of Tigray, with reports of massacres, sexual violence, and destruction.
2021-11
Joint TDF-OLA offensive reportedly causes a third wave of destruction in Ataye.
2021-12
International organizations call for citizen evacuations from Ethiopia as TDF forces advance toward Addis Ababa.
2022-01
High-profile TPLF and OLF political prisoners released under amnesty amid possible peace negotiations.
2022-06-14
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivers parliamentary speech described as inflammatory, days before renewed Amhara massacres in Wollega.
2022-06-18
Tole and Gimbi massacres occur in Wollega, Oromia; witnesses report over 230 bodies initially, rising to over 500 in later reports.
2022-07-04
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission calls for urgent security reinforcement following the Kellem massacre in Wollega, Oromia.
2022-07-10
Renewed attacks reported in Efrata ena Gidim Woreda near Ataye, killing at least 17 civilians over several days.
2023
War in Amhara begins.
2023
Drone strikes reported in late 2023 mostly killing civilians, according to media reports.
2024-02
Reports indicate Ethiopian troops killed 45 civilians in Amhara state since late January 2024.
2024-09
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission accuses federal government forces of extrajudicial killings and mass arbitrary detentions in Amhara region.
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People
Asrat Woldeyes
VICTIMMedical professor, surgeon, and political opponent; imprisoned and reportedly abused under the TPLF regime; his death has been associated with a lack of timely medical treatment following his imprisonment.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Places
Common questions
- What happened to the victim?
- Since the early 1990s, Ethiopia's Amhara ethnic group has been subjected to recurring mass killings, massacres, abductions, and displacement attributed to multiple armed groups, including TPLF/TDF forces, the Oromo Liberation Front/Army (OLF-OLA), and Gumuz militias.
- Where did the crime happen?
- Amhara Region and surrounding areas, Ethiopia.
- What is the current status of the case?
- Status: ongoing.
Related cases
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Sources
- ENCYCLOPEDICPersecution of Amhara peopleWikipedia · 2026-07-10
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — ReutersReuters · 2026-07-10
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The GuardianThe Guardian · 2026-07-10
Record history
- First published
- JUL 10, 2026