Ashinie Astin
Ashinie Astin is a member of Majangier, an ethnic indigenous minority from the Gambela region. He has been a strong voice advocating for the rights of this community, especially in relation to land rights, in the context of intensified mining activities by both international and domestic companies.
In Ethiopia, human rights defenders (HRDs) work in extremely difficult conditions marked by threats, acts of intimidation, restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly, judicial harassment, and arbitrary arrests. Repressive legislation passed in recent years has been successful in silencing civil society. Severe restrictions on external funding continue to undermine the work and effectiveness of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Several human rights defenders and journalists were forced to flee the country and those who remained practised self-censorship for fear of attack or harassment.
