Justice Sector Modernization to Continue Under Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy, Minister Tells Parliament

Addis Ababa, January 1, 2026 (FMC) — Minister of Justice Hana Arayaselassie said efforts to modernize Ethiopia’s justice sector will continue under the implementation of the Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy, with a focus on strengthening reforms already underway.

The Minister made the remarks while attending the 7th regular session of the House of People’s Representatives, where she presented explanations and responded to questions raised by members of parliament.

During the session, lawmakers raised a range of issues related to justice sector service delivery, the treatment of prisoners and suspects in relation to human rights standards, and other matters linked to the functioning of the sector. Members of the House also questioned the measures being taken to control and take legal action against individuals and organizations accused of collecting and concealing citizens’ money under the pretext of building houses.

Responding to the questions, Minister Hana said prison reform efforts have fundamentally addressed long-standing challenges by improving infrastructure and strengthening safeguards aimed at protecting the rights of prisoners and suspects.

She stated that the Ministry of Justice has opened branches and sub-branches across regional states to ensure faster and more efficient legal services, adding that initiatives launched to streamline justice sector operations will continue to be reinforced under the Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy.

The Minister said efforts are underway to expand opportunities for citizens to follow their court cases remotely, including through the use of artificial intelligence–supported systems.

She further noted that several laws enacted as part of the justice system reform, including the Administrative Procedure Law, have introduced significant changes to service delivery. According to the Minister, monitoring and supervisory mechanisms have been strengthened since the reform to ensure that urgent laws are amended in line with the constitution and implemented properly.

Minister Hana said coordinated work is being carried out with regional justice institutions to provide streamlined services, noting that tangible results have been recorded across the sector, from law enactment to law enforcement.

She also emphasized the need to further strengthen coordination among the police, prosecutors, and courts in order to expedite criminal investigations and prosecutions.

The Minister said national consultations and transitional justice mechanisms have proven to be effective approaches for resolving political issues peacefully.

Addressing concerns over housing-related fraud, Minister Hana said there are entities that mislead citizens by claiming they will build houses for them. As an example, she stated that charges have been filed against individuals who collected 1.5 billion birr from the public under such pretexts.