Crime in Ethiopia

Reported risks in Addis Ababa include pickpocketing, bag-snatching, distraction theft, robbery involving knives, theft through vehicle windows, jewellery snatching, sexual harassment and drink spiking. Areas where travellers and residents should take particular care include Bole, Meskel Square, Yeka Hills, Entoto, Mercato, airport areas and tourist zones. These patterns do not describe every street or time of day, and regional conditions can differ substantially. Kidnapping and extortion risks are reported in parts of Oromia, including the Adama special zone and areas of West, East and Kellem Wollega, as well as parts of Amhara, Somali and border regions. Aid workers, media workers and business personnel can face increased exposure. Travel advisories also identify a nationwide risk of terrorist attacks, with large crowds, hotels, markets, transport hubs and religious sites requiring additional caution. Trafficking and unsafe migration affect people moving within Ethiopia or across borders, particularly women and children. Reduce exposure by keeping phones and valuables concealed in crowded places, treating unexpected distractions with caution and avoiding solo walks after dark. Keep vehicle doors and windows closed, leave valuables out of sight and use a guarded, well-lit parking area where available. Do not resist a robbery when resistance could cause injury. For kidnapping risks, travel in daylight, use secure meeting points, vary predictable travel patterns and maintain a travel plan with backup communication. Network shutdowns can disrupt contact, so an offline plan and more than one communication method are useful. In an immediate emergency, contact the current local police service or the nearest police station. Addis Ababa police materials identify 991, Federal Police contacts include 915 and 916, and Ethiopian Federal Police channels list 990, 991, 987 and 816. The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also listed 911. Because published numbers are not consistent, confirm the working number locally if a call fails and use the nearest police station when necessary. The Ethiopian Federal Police portal provides services for emergencies, found dead persons, non-emergency matters, wanted persons and missing assets. A report may be made to the responsible regional or city police. Ask for an incident, case or reference number and keep it with copies of relevant documents. A person who plans to leave Ethiopia should report as early as possible when investigation or evidence preservation is needed, because no guaranteed investigation or court timetable applies. There is no police-reporting fee identified in the reviewed sources, but local administrative practice should be confirmed. After a traffic collision, remain in the vehicle when safe, call the police and avoid confrontation. Police stations and regional or city police normally provide the first formal process. The Federal Police Commission handles national prevention and investigations, while the Addis Ababa Police Commission and local police handle many city-level matters. A police investigation can proceed to the Public Prosecutor and then to a court. Family members, community leaders, religious institutions and customary mechanisms may help with communication or immediate support, but they do not replace a formal report for serious violence. Do not use self-justice or alter evidence. Follow lawful instructions while protecting personal safety and requesting respectful treatment, privacy and dignity. For hacking, data theft, online fraud, illegal content or other suspicious digital activity, contact the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) or Ethio-CERT, the national computer-security incident intake service, and contact the police when a criminal investigation is needed. Computer Crime Proclamation No. 958/2016 covers crimes committed against or through computers, systems, data and networks, including electronic evidence. Save screenshots, headers, transaction records, messages, account identifiers and device information without editing them. Do not delete or reset affected devices, and do not send ransom or fraud payments before contacting the police and the bank or payment provider. After sexual violence, move to a safe place and seek a clinic or other health facility and the police as soon as possible. A One-Stop Centre brings medical, psychosocial, sexual and reproductive health, police, prosecutor and social-work services together in participating public hospitals; some centres can also provide legal information or referrals. Coverage is not established nationwide, and available services, costs and timing vary by region or project. Medical assessment should take place without delay. People affected by trafficking have rights to protection and support, privacy and dignity, health, social, legal and psychological counselling, temporary shelter and information about protection and case status. They should not be taken to a police station, detention facility or prison as victims of trafficking. Children can seek help through a Child Protection Unit at a police station where one exists, Women, Children and Youth Affairs offices, kebele or woreda police and justice services, schools, One-Stop Centres or trusted protection networks. Families, communities and religious institutions often provide informal access, but child safety, privacy and an accompanying trusted adult should guide the response. Historical UNICEF evidence recorded 919 child helplines in Addis Ababa and five regions, but current availability and nationwide coverage must be checked. Online child sexual exploitation or abuse should be reported to the police or child-protection service and to INSA or Ethio-CERT. Child-friendly justice exists in some locations, including a child-friendly bench at Yeka Federal First Instance Court reported in 2025, but nationwide coverage has not been established.