Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994
Religious Law
  • English
    1. State and religion are separate.
    2. There shall be no state religion.
    3. The state shall not interfere in religious matters and religion shall not interfere in state affairs. (Art. 11)
  • Amharic
    1. መንግሥትና ሃይማኖት የተለያዩ ናቸው፡፡
    2. መንግሥታዊ ሃይማኖት አይኖርም፡፡
    3. መንግሥት በሃይማኖት ጉዳይ ጣልቃ አይገባም፡፡ ሃይማኖትም በመንግሥት ጉዳይ ጣልቃ አይገባም፡፡ (አንቀጽ 11)
Religious Law
  • English

    4. In accordance with provisions to be specified by law, a law giving recognition to marriage concluded under systems of religious or customary laws may be enacted.
    5. This Constitution shall not preclude the adjudication of disputes relating to personal and family laws in accordance with religious or customary laws, with the consent of the parties to the dispute. Particulars shall be determined by law. (Art. 34)
  • Amharic

    4. በሕግ በተለይ በሚዘረዘረው መሰረት በሃይማኖት፣ በባሕል የሕግ ሥርዓቶች ላይ ተመስርትው ለሚፈጸሙ ጋብቻዎች እውቅና የሚሰጥ ሕግ ሊወጣ ይችላል፡፡
    5. ይህ ሕገ መንግሥት የግል እና የቤተሰብ ሕግን በተመለከተ በተከራካሪዎች ፈቃድ በሃይማኖቶች ወይም በባሕሎች ሕጐች መሰረት መዳኘትን አይከለክልም፡፡ ዝርዝሩ በሕግ ይወሰናል፡፡ (አንቀጽ 34)
Religious Law
  • English

    5. Pursuant to sub-Article 5 of Article 34 the House of Peoples’ Representatives and State Councils can establish or give official recognition to religious and customary courts. Religious and customary courts that had state recognition and functioned prior to the adoption of the Constitution shall be organized on the basis of recognition accorded to them by this Constitution. (Art. 78)
  • Amharic

    5. የህዝብ ተወካዬች ምክር ቤትና የክልል ምክር ቤቶች በኣንቀጽ 34 ንኡስ ኣንቀጽ 5 መሰረት የሃማኖትና የባሕል ፍርድ ቤቶችን ሊያቋቁሙ ወይም እውቅና ሊሰጡ ይችላሉ፡፡ ይህ ሕገ መንግሥት ከመጽደቁ በፊት በመንግሥት እውቅና አግኝተው ሲሰራባቸው የነበሩ የሃይማኖቶችና የባሕል ፍርድ ቤቶች በዚህ ሕገ መንግሥት መሰረት እውቅና አግኝተው ይደራጃሉ፡፡ (አንቀጽ 78)
1

Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994 (English). According to Art. 106: “The Amharic version of this Constitution shall have final legal authority.” There are discrepancies in the content of the English and Amharic texts.

2

Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1994 (Amharic). Copy obtained from the Ministry of Justice, Ethiopia.

Links to all sites last visited 6 March 2024
3
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
4
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
5
Chapter Three on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.