Proclamation 3/2020

A State of Emergency Proclamation Enacted to Counter and Control the Spread of

COVID-19 and Mitigate Its Impact

Recognizing  of  the  rapid  global  spread  and  substantial  adverse  impact  of  the  COVID-19 pandemic   and   the   impossibility   of   curtailing   its   spread   through   the   normal   system   of government;

Since this  pandemic  is  having  a  considerable  negative  impact  in  our  country,  to  enable the expedient and coordinated implementation of measures necessary to minimize and counter the spread of the pandemic;

Since it has become necessary to take various measures to counter and mitigate the humanitarian, social, economic and political damage being caused by the pandemic;

To crate public awareness about COVID-19 and strengthen precautionary measures by putting in place an enabling legal framework;

In accordance with the FDRE Constitution Articles 77(10) and 93, this state of emergency has been proclaimed.

Article 1 – Short Title

This Proclamation may be cited as the “State of Emergency Proclamation Enacted to Counter and Control the Spread of COVID-19 and Mitigate Its Impact Proclamation No. 3/2020.”

Article 2 – Definition

In this Proclamation unless the context otherwise requires:

1)         “COVID-19”   is   the   pandemic   officially   so   designated   by   the   World  Health Organization;

2)         “Constitution” means the FDRE Constitution.

3)         “Law  enforcement  institutions”  includes  the  Ministry  of  Defense,  the  National Intelligence and Security Service, the Federal Police Commission, the Regional Police, federal  and  regional  attorney  generals  or  equivalent  institutions  and  other  security entities;

4)         “Person” means any natural or juridical person;

5)         “Region” means all the regions designated under the FDRE Constitution Article 47

and for the purpose of this proclamation includes the Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa City Administrations;

6)      “Suspension  of  rights”  means  a  partial  or  full  temporary  derogation  of

Rights stipulated under the FDRE Constitution.

7)     “Measures” mean decisions, prohibitions or obligations that render partially or fully

inoperable provisions of the FDRE Constitution.

8)         Any reference in the masculine gender also includes the feminine.

Article 3 – Scope of application

1)         This proclamation shall be applicable throughout the country.

2)         This  proclamation  and  regulations  issued  pursuant  to  this  proclamation  shall Be applicable  on  Ethiopians  and  foreign  nationals  residing  in  or  transitioning  through Ethiopia.

3)         Any federal or regional law, procedure or decision that is in contravention with this proclamation or regulations issued pursuant to this proclamation shall have no effect while this proclamation is valid.

Article 4 – Suspension of Rights and Measures

1)         As  per  the  FDRE  Constitution  Article  93  (4)  (a)  and  (b),  the  Council  of

Ministers shall, through the Regulations it will adopt as per this Proclamation, stipulate details of the   suspension   of   rights   and   measures   to   adopted   to   counter   and   mitigate   the humanitarian,  social,  economic  and  political  damage  that  could  be  caused  by  the pandemic.

2)         The Regulations to be enacted and measures to be taken by the Council of Ministers shall not in any way infringe on provisions specially protected by the FDRE Constitution Article 93 (4) (c).

Article 5 – Responsibility for Execution of the Proclamation

1)         The  detailed  conditions  concerning  the  suspension  of  rights  and  measures  will Be decided by the Council of Ministers or a Ministerial Committee to be established for this purpose and notified to the public.

2)         Every  person  is  obliged  to  comply  with  lawful  instructions  and  commands  of Law enforcement   agencies   or   any   lawful   authority   issued   in   accordance   with   this Proclamation.

3)         Federal  and  Regional  law  enforcement  agencies  may  use  proportionate  force  to enforce the suspension of rights and measures put in place in accordance with sub-article (1) of this Article.

Article 6 – Criminal Liability

1)         Notwithstanding relevant provisions of the Criminal Code, any person who violates the suspension of rights, measures, an instruction or command issued in accordance with this Proclamation shall be punished with simple imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of no less that one thousand Birr and not exceeding two hundred thousand Birr.

2)   The federal Attorney General and Regional Attorney Generals or equivalent institutions delegated  by  the  Federal  Attorney  General  have  the  responsibility  to  implement  sub article 1 of this provision.

Article 7 – Notification

1)         The  Office  of  the  Prime  Minister  and  the  Attorney General  shall  communicate The conditions  pertaining  to  suspension  of  rights  and  measures  to  be  put  in  place  in accordance with this Proclamation through media outlets that are widely accessible to the public.

2)         All commercial, community and public media with a local, regional or national reach have an obligation to broadcast free of charge the public notifications, explanations and messages indicated under sub article 1 of this article in all the working languages of the media outlet.

Article 8 – Effective Date

This Proclamation shall be effective for five months from the day it is passed by the Council of Ministers.

Done at Addis Ababa 8th of April 2020.

ABIY AHMED (PH.D.)

PRIME MINISTER OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA