Sign this petition to demand global accountability for the systematic weaponization of rape in the Tigray genocide. War criminals must face justice under universal jurisdiction and international law. 

Why This Petition Matters 

From November 2020, a genocidal war was waged against Tigray by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, marked by one of the most horrific campaigns of weaponized rape in modern history. At least 120,000 women and girls in Tigray were subjected to systematic sexual violence, including: 

• Gang rape (over 80% of cases involved multiple perpetrators) 

• Sexual mutilation and insertion of foreign objects 

• Forced sterilization with the intent to eliminate future Tigrayan generations 

• Sexual slavery and enslavement in military camps 

These crimes were not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate genocidal strategy aimed at terrorizing, dehumanizing, and erasing the Tigrayan people. Ethiopian, Eritrean, Amhara and Afar troops proclaimed their intent to "pollute Tigrayan bloodlines" while committing these atrocities. 

But despite overwhelming evidence, the perpetrators walk free. 

Despite reports from the United Nations, the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, no high-ranking officials have been prosecuted for these crimes. 

The failure of the international community to act sets a dangerous precedent—that rape can be used as a weapon of war with impunity. 

We cannot let this stand. We must act NOW. 

What We Are Demanding 

1. Prosecution Under Universal Jurisdiction 

War crimes and crimes against humanity—including weaponized rape—can and must be prosecuted under universal jurisdiction. 

• Universal jurisdiction allows national courts (such as those in Germany, France, Belgium, and Spain) to prosecute individuals responsible for war crimes, even if the crimes occurred outside their borders. 

• Countries like Germany have previously prosecuted sexual violence in conflicts (e.g., in Syria and Rwanda). We demand that these courts open cases against Ethiopian and Eritrean officials responsible for ordering or permitting weaponized rape in Tigray. 

2. An International Tribunal or ICC Referral 

• The UN Security Council must establish a special tribunal to prosecute war crimes committed in Tigray, modeled after the tribunals for Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, and Sierra Leone. 

• If Ethiopia fails to prosecute these crimes, the ICC must intervene. Sexual violence in war is classified as a war crime, a crime against humanity, and, in some cases, an act of genocide under the Rome Statute of the ICC. 

3. Immediate Support for Survivors 

• Survivors need urgent medical, psychological, and legal support. We call on the UN, the European Union, and governments to: 
• Fund survivor-centered aid programs in Tigray. 

• Support the creation of safe spaces for women in displacement camps. 

• Ensure legal protection for survivors who wish to testify in international courts. 

Why This Is a Global Issue 

Weaponized rape in Tigray is not just a Tigrayan issue—it is a global human rights crisis that sets a precedent for future wars and genocides. 

• If the world ignores Tigray, other regimes will learn that rape can be used as a tool of war without consequences. 

• If we fail to act now, we normalize the mass rape and destruction of women’s bodies as a legitimate military strategy.