Wondemgen Taddese (PhD)Nugusu Bedaso2025-08-192025-08-192024-09-01https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7066The key international human rights instruments to which Ethiopian is party offer legal protection to the right to life. Likewise, it also provides corresponding State obligations towards the human rights in general and the right to life in particular. The national legal framework, including the FDRE Constitution, and FDRE Criminal Code, also imposes human rights obligations on the state. Regarding the human rights obligations of armed non-state actors, there are emerging practices that requires armed non-state actors to respect and protect human rights, including the right to life. In spite of these obligations, extrajudicial killing and arbitrary deprivation of the right to life have been common practice across the Oromia region in general and East Shoa Zone of Dudga Woreda in particular. Hence, the objective of this thesis is dwelling into the assessment of the adherence of the duties of the state and armed non-state actors towards the right to life with specific reference to the Oromia region, East Shoa Zone, Dugda Woreda. To this ends, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with residents of Dugda Woreda, Dugda Woreda Administration Office, Dugda Woreda Public Prosecutor Office, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Abba Gada and a practicing lawyer. The thesis also employed semi-structured personal observation format to observe human rights situation of Dugda Woreda. Moreover, the research examined relevant international and regional human rights instruments, general comments, and domestic legal frameworks as well as relevant literature. By doing so, the study found that, the government has failed to respect and protect the right to life of individuals. The study also reveals that, extrajudicial killing and arbitrary deprivation of the right to life are still rampant. As such, violation of the right to life is continued against individuals suspected of having ties with OLA. In similar vein, violations of the right to life continued against individuals suspected of having ties with the government are prevalent in the research area. The studies further demonstrate that, the justice sector has not thoroughly investigated and prosecuted the violators of the right to life. Besides, the study also reveals that, OLA has executed government officials ranging from the Kebeles leader to the high ranking Woreda administration staff for mere affiliation with the government after warning them to resign from power. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher proposed recommendationsenThe National Legal FrameworkIncluding the FDRE Constitutionand FDRE Criminal CodeThesis