Human Rights Watch has reported that ethnic Tigrayans in Ethiopia’s Western Tigray Zone continue to face severe and systematic discrimination, including arbitrary detention, restrictions on movement, exclusion from services, and barriers to employment. Authorities and security forces in the area are accused of enforcing policies that effectively treat Tigrayans as second-class citizens, forcing many to flee the region even years after the 2020–2022 conflict ended. Hundreds of thousands remain displaced in central Tigray, living in difficult conditions with little prospect of safe return.
The report states that local authorities require Tigrayans to obtain difficult-to-access permits for movement and often deny them essential identification documents. Without IDs, individuals are unable to access banking services, work opportunities, land, or basic public services. Many interviewees described harassment, violence, and humiliation by security forces and local militias, with movement outside towns tightly controlled through checkpoints and temporary passes.
Access to land and employment has also been heavily restricted, with many Tigrayans reportedly removed from their farmland during and after the conflict and forced into poorly paid day labor. Others have been excluded from economic opportunities available to Amhara and Welkait residents, deepening economic marginalisation and insecurity.
The report further documents ongoing arbitrary arrests and detention of Tigrayans by local police and militias, with some detainees allegedly held for extended periods and subjected to abuse. Following renewed tensions in early 2026, arrests reportedly increased, reflecting continued instability and targeting of the Tigrayan population.
Human Rights Watch links these abuses to earlier findings that mass expulsions during the 2020–2022 conflict amounted to ethnic cleansing and may constitute crimes against humanity. It warns that continued discriminatory practices, unlawful detention, and forced displacement could amount to ongoing violations of international law.
Despite discussions around potential returns of displaced people, many Tigrayans express fear of returning due to persistent insecurity and the presence of the same authorities and armed groups accused of past abuses. The unresolved territorial dispute between regional authorities continues to fuel tension and obstruct durable solutions for displaced communities.
The organisation calls on the Ethiopian government to end discriminatory policies in Western Tigray, ensure accountability for abuses, and allow independent monitoring of the region. It also urges international partners to support accountability measures and ensure that any returns of displaced people are safe, voluntary, and based on improved human rights conditions.
