- Country
- Ethiopia
- Ministry responsible
- Ministry of Federal Affairs
- Prison administration
- Federal Prison Commission and nine State Prison Administrations
- Contact address
-
P.O. Box 2237, Addis Ababa, Ethopia (Federal Prison Administration)
Ethiopia - Telephone
- Fax
- Head of prison administration
-
Damena Darota, Commissioner General
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
110,000
at March 2020 (national prison administration)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
99
based on an estimated national population of 111.11 million at March 2020 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
14.9%
(2011-12)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
4.2%
(2013-14)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | |
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | |
| Number of establishments / institutions |
126
(2015 - 6 federal prisons and 120 regional prisons; there are also many unofficial prisons - U.S. State Department human rights report.)
|
| Official capacity of prison system | |
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
No official figures have been traced but according to the U.S. State Department human rights report for 2016 severe overcrowding is common.
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 55,209 | 85 | |
| 62,059 | 91 | |
| 74,413 | 103 | |
| 72,211 | 96 | |
| 85,664 | 109 | |
| 112,361 | 136 | |
| c. 111,040 | c. 129 | |
| 113,727 | 127 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
- Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
- Female prison population: trend
- Prison population trend up to 2000
Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
ETHIOPIA
| Year | Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment | Percentage of total prison population | Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1999/2000 2004/05 2009/10 | 31,264 24,520 15,723 | 56.6% 30.4% 14.0% | 48 33 19 |
| 2011/12 | 16,585 | 14.9% | 19 |
It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
Female prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
ETHIOPIA
| Year | Number of female prisoners | Percentage of total prison population | Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2001/02 2005/06 2009/10 | 2,034 1,994 3,895 | 3.3% 2.8% 3.5% | 3.0 2.6 4.7 |
| 2013/14 | 4,756 | 4.2% | 5.3 |
The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).
Prison population trend up to 2000
The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.
Most Ethiopian figures are for the 12-month period from 11 September in one year (in the Gregorian calendar) to 10 September of the following year. The figures at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs are for the 12 months ending on 10 September of the year indicated.
ETHIOPIA
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1986 1988 1990 1999/2000 | 36,210 34,832 26,526 55,209 | 85 77 55 85 |
Can you donate to support the WPB?
We receive no external funding for our work in sourcing and compiling prison populations data, hosting the WPB website and keeping it regularly updated with the most recent information available. To help sustain this unique, open access resource
