Communication 455/13: Abubaker Ahmed Mohamed and 28 others (represented by X and Y) v. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Summary of the Complaint 1. The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Secretariat), received a Complaint on 4thOctober 2013from X and Y (the Complainants), acting on behalf of Abubaker Ahmed Mohamed and 28 others (the Victims). 2. The Complaint is submitted against the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (the Respondent State), State Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter).' 3. The Complainants allege that the Respondent State has been interfering with the religious autonomy of Ethiopian Muslims since July 2011. In this regard, the Government has sponsored and imposed a Lebanese sect known as the Ahbash on the Muslim community in Ethiopia through the coercive training of thousands of Muslim Imams, scholars, leaders and other religious figures. The trainees were forced to participate in the trainings and if they refused the Respondent State threatened to subject them to economic and social hardships. 4. The Complainants allege that most Ethiopians, including the Victims, peacefully questioned and opposed these actions but the Respondent State reacted by punishing them by, among other things, removing Imams from their positions and shutting down some Islamic schools. Those expelled as Imams were replaced by the new Ahbash sect members by the Respondent State. 5. The Complainants allege that in January 2012 a Committee of seventeen prominent Islamic scholars and civil society leaders (the Committee) was set up to negotiate with the Respondent State. The Complainants further allege that, at the initial stage, the Respondent State engaged with the Committee but later began making arrests, intimidations and threats against some Committee members and other protestors. 6. The Complainants allege that the Respondent State characterised the protestors as cells in the global network of terrorism who were trying to create sectarian and inter-regional conflict to overthrow the Ethiopian regime in favour of an Islamic State. Between 19th and 21st July 2012, the Respondent State launched a major crackdown arresting members of the Committee and about one thousand (1,000) protestors including the Victims. The Complainants allege that while doing so the special police forces used unnecessary and excessive force to break up peaceful protests. 7. The Complainants allege that several detainees including the Victims has« =-I-_fll subjected to torture, mistreatment and beatings. The Complainants allege tht{;se of tt"e>.o~o'·', following tactics by the Respondent State: mock executions; long hours !,gta~ding for "}i\ ~ j The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ratified the African Charter on 15 June 1998~\ /" )~~ i ~. ""- ~~ ..,...A;cf;v'" 4.'" B ~'Y c s"°IV 4"RICjlo.\~ t/<,,(l'" /' 'I ~;., ~./ p.u-~ _/ ; :'.