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The Seb-Hidri Civil Society of Tigray, a youth-led grassroots civil society founded two years ago, has been excluded from observing the elections in the Tigray region, it was reported.
The civil society group, which had been a leading proponent of the regional elections, was barred from participating in the planned election observation mission due to complaints and accusations brought by the ruling Tigray Popular Liberation Front (TPLF), reported BBC Tigrigna.
Dr Goytom Aregawi, director of the SebHidri Civil Society, told BBC Tigrigna that the decision of the region’s electoral commission to prohibit the Society from observing voting based on baseless and unfounded accusations by a party, without trying to considering his point of view, it was a huge disappointment.
“The Commission informed us that the ruling party accused us of carrying out illegal activities and the Commission made its decision based on that. They didn’t give us more details, ”he said. Civil society has played an important role in reforming the region’s electoral law, among others, he said.
Meressa Tsehaye, a member of the Commission, defended the decision saying that TPLF has provided supporting documents on the illegal activities of Civil Society.
The civil society group works to promote justice, good governance and the rule of law, but the ruling party has been suspicious of its intent, Goitom said.
