Ministry of Justice (Ethiopia)

The Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ፍትህ ሚኒስቴር) has the authority of federal prosecution and had possessed executive and judicial powers.[1] The ministry was a part of the federal branch of the government, and prosecuted cases that fell within the federal jurisdiction. In 1995, the responsibility for the federal police force and prisons was transferred to the Ministry of Justice after the Ministry of Internal Affairs was abolished.[2] In 2017, it was announced that the Ministry of Justice's affairs would be transitioned into the Federal Attorney General's Office.[3]

According to Article 16 of Proclamation 691/2010, the Ministry of Justice had the following powers:[4]

  • Is chief advisor to the Federal Government on matters of law; Represents the Federal Government in criminal cases falling under the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts; withdraw criminal charges for good causes; follow up the execution of decisions of the courts
  • Orders the conduct of investigation where it believes that a crime the adjudication of which falls under the jurisdiction of the federal courts has been committed; orders the discontinuance of an investigation or instructs further investigation on good cause; withdraw criminal charges in accordance with the law;
  • Undertakes legal reform studies; carry out codification and consolidation of federal laws, collect Regional State laws and consolidate as necessary
  • Assist in the preparation of draft laws when so requested by federal organs and regional states;
  • Undertake or order the conduct of investigation where it believes that a crime the adjudication of which falls under the jurisdiction of the federal courts has been committed; direct and supervise the process of the investigation; allow plea bargain; upon the existence of good cause, decide on the discontinuance of an investigation or the carrying out of additional investigation;
  • Studies the causes of and the methods of crime prevention; devise ways and means of crime prevention; coordinate the relevant government organs in crime prevention;
  • Ensure that witnesses to a criminal case are accorded protection, as necessary;
  • Assists victims of crimes or violations of human rights in civil proceedings to claim damages where such victims are unable to institute such claims in federal courts and to follow up the proceeding on their own;
  • Institutes or cause the institution of suits or intervene at any stage of the proceedings of such suits before federal and regional state courts, any judicial body or arbitration tribunal where the rights and interests of the public and of the Federal Government so require;
  • Registers religious organizations, nonprofit making foreign organizations and, unless specific power is given to other government organs, non-governmental organizations and associations operating in the cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa or in more than one Regional State;
  • Follows up, as necessary, the handling of civil suits and claims to which the federal government organs are parties; cause reports-to be submitted to it on same, and ensure that competent staff is assigned for the purpose;
  • Issues, supervises and revokes licenses advocates for practicing before federal courts;
  • Provides legal education through the use of various methods with a view to raising public legal consciousness in relation to the protection of human rights; cooperate with the appropriate bodies regarding legal education and training;

History

In 2016, Getachew Ambaye was successively the Minister of Justice and then Attorney General under the administrative renaming of the position.[5]

List of ministers (post-occupation in 1942)
Justice Minister Term of office Prime Minister
# Portrait Name Took office Left office
1 Ayele Gebre[2][6] 1939 1942 Betwoded

Wolde Tzaddick

2 Aie-Masfin Andargatchew Massai[7][8] 1943 1948 Betwoded

Wolde Tzaddick

3 Wolde Giyorgis Wolde Yohannes 1949 1955 Ras Betwoded

Makonnen Endelkachew

4 Abiye Abebe[2] 1958 1961 Ras

Abebe Aregai

5 Dejazmatch Zewdie Gebre-Salassie[9] 1961 1963 Tsehafi Taezaz

Aklilu Habte-Wold

6 Mammo Tadesse[10] 1966 1967 Tsehafi Taezaz

Aklilu Habte-Wold

7 Akale Worq Habte Wold[11][12] 1969 1974 Tsehafi Taezaz

Aklilu Habte-Wold

8 Belachew Asrat[13] 1975 1975 Post Abolished (12 September 1974–10 September 1987) by the Derg
9 Amanuel Amde-Mikael[14] 1975 1978
10 Zegeye Asfaw[15][16] 1978 1979
11 Zegeye Asfaw[17] 1980 1980
12 Getachew Kibret[18] 1980 1983
13 Emanuel Amde Michael[19] 1984 1986
14 Wondayen Mehretu[20][21] 1986 1991 Fikre Selassie Wogderess
15 Shiferaw Wolde-Michael[22] 1991 1992 Tamrat Layne
16 Mehitma Solomon[23] 1992 1998 Meles Zenawi
17 Wolde Werede[24] 1998 2001 Meles Zenawi
18 Harka Haroyu[25][26] 2001 2008 Meles Zenawi
19 Berhan Hailu[27] 2008 3 June 2013 Meles Zenawi
20 Getachew Ambaye[28][29][5] 4 June 2013 11 May 2016 Hailemariam Desalegn
21 Ato Birhanu Tsegaye (Attorney General)[30][31] October 2018 March 2020 Abiy Ahmed
22 Adanech Abebe (Attorney General)[31] March 2020 Abiy Ahmed
23 Gedion Timotheos[32] Abiy Ahmed

See also

References
  1. "Establishing the Attorney-General: Reconstructing the justice system or heralding a new one?". www.thereporterethiopia.com. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  2. Shinn, David H.; Ofcansky, Thomas P. (2013-04-11). Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810874572.
  3. Giorgis, Abebe Wolde (2017-03-23). "Ethiopia: Transitioning Ministry of Justice to Federal Attorney General". The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa). Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  4. "UPDATE: Introduction to the Ethiopian Legal System and Legal Research - GlobaLex". www.nyulawglobal.org. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  5. "Ethiopia's Former Justice Minister Appointed as Attorney General". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  6. Marcus, Harold G.; Page, Melvin Eugene; Spaulding, Jay (1998). Personality and Political Culture in Modern Africa: Studies Presented to Professor Harold G. Marcus. African Studies Center, Boston University. ISBN 9780915118168.
  7. The Who's who of the Allied Governments and Allied Trade & Industry. Allied Publications. 1944.
  8. Cang, Joel (1948). United Nations Who's who in Government and Industry. Allied Publications.
  9. "THE WORLD BANK GROUP ARCHIVES PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AUTHORIZED" (PDF). World Bank Group. 2012.
  10. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1966:Sept.-Dec." HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  11. London, Africa Research Bureau; Ltd, Africa Research (1969). Africa Research Bulletin. Blackwell.
  12. Services, United States Dept of State Office of Media (1972). Background Notes. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Media Services.
  13. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1975:Jan.-Mar." HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  14. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1975:Oct.-Dec." HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  15. Service, British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring (1978). Summary of World Broadcasts: Non-Arab Africa.
  16. Sub-Saharan Africa Report. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1979.
  17. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1980Jan,Mar-June". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  18. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. Nov-Dec 1980". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  19. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. Jan-Apr 1984". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  20. Country Report: Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti. The Unit. 1986.
  21. Africa Research Bulletin: Political series. Africa Research Limited. 1987.
  22. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1991July-Dec". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  23. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1992". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  24. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. Jan-Apr 1998". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  25. "Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. Jan. -Apr. 2002". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  26. "Ethiopia Chiefs of State 2004 - Flags, Maps, Economy, Geography, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System". www.immigration-usa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  27. "Justice Minister Berhan Hailu sacked after MPs rebuke | Horn Affairs". Horn Affairs. 2013-05-11. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  28. "Ethiopian PM names new ministers | IOL News". Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  29. Birhaner, De (2015-10-06). "Hailemariam's 30 ministers are same old but 8 - See the List - De Birhan". De Birhan. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  30. "Ethiopian PM announce new, half women cabinet ministers". Tesfa News. 2018-10-16. Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  31. "Adanech Abebe to Swear Oath as Attorney General". Addis Fortune. 2020-03-11. Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  32. "Update: Details of Ethiopia's State of Emergency proclamation". Addis Standard. 2021-11-02. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
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