The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ)—a Christian legal advocacy group based in Strasbourg, France—stands out as one of the few international organizations actively monitoring the ongoing massacres targeting Orthodox Christian communities in East Arsi. The ECLJ, which operates as the European affiliate of the US-based American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), holds special consultative status before the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The advocacy group has submitted two urgent appeals to the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention within the last three years, warning of a catastrophic surge in targeted ethnic and religious violence in Ethiopia. The first was submitted on August 29, 2023, and a second was recently filed on June 2, 2026, specifically addressing the mass killings and forced evictions of Orthodox Christians in the East Arsi zone of the Oromia Regional State.
Thibault van den Bossche, an Advocacy Officer for Persecuted Christians at the ECLJ, is the primary official managing this file. He regularly represents the ECLJ before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the European Parliament, and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
He possesses an extensive background in researching and advocating for persecuted Christians globally, drawing from profound personal exposure to threatened faith communities worldwide, including Iraqi Christians.
“Impunity is not simply the absence of justice; it is also the precursor to the next atrocity,” Thibault notes.
What is the current status of the ECLJ’s urgent appeal regarding the East Arsi crisis, and what concrete outcomes can be expected from such international legal interventions? Is there a structural parallel between the plight of Christians in Ethiopia and those in Iraq? What strategic role does the ECLJ play in breaking the diplomatic silence and pushing for institutional accountability?
The Reporter Magazine’s Bewket Abebe approached Thibault for comments to unpack these and explore the path forward. EXCERPT: https://thereportermagazines.com/6120/t ... nore-eclj/
