The domestic laws and policies are in compliance with the international standards regarding the cancellation and revocation of status. The cancellation clause is in line with paragraph 117 of the UNHCR Handbook, and the revocation clause is also in accordance with paragraph 6 of UNHCR’s Guidelines on International Protection No 5: Application of the Exclusion Clauses. Positively, due process procedures are also attached to these measures to cancel or revoke refugee status.   

According to article 8(1) of the Refugees Proclamation, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) may cancel the refugee status of a person, if he should not have been considered to be a refugee because the inclusion criteria provided by Article 5 of the Proclamation was not met at the time of the initial decision; or if he should not have been considered to be a refugee because the exclusion criteria provided under Article 7 of the Proclamation had not been applied at the time of the initial decision. Also, as per article 8(2), the Service may revoke the refugee status of a person recognized in Ethiopia if it is established that, after he is granted refugee status, the exclusion criteria apply to the person.

The Refugees Proclamation has also put in place procedural safeguards. The Service, as per article 8(3), shall give the person, whose refugee status is cancelled or revoked, a prior written notification and an opportunity to explain about the issue. Furthermore, as per article 8(5), any person aggrieved by the decision of the Service made in accordance with this article may appeal within sixty days of receiving written notification of the decision to the Appeal Hearing Council established in accordance with this Proclamation. However, pursuant to sub-Article (5) of this Article, the Appeal Hearing Council may hear an appeal filed after the expiry of sixty days if the appellant has justifiable cause for having filed a late appeal.  In addition, in accordance with article 8(4), the decision to cancel or revoke refugee status by the Agency shall also apply to family members of the person with respect to whom the decision has been made; provided, however, that the family member affected by the decision may submit his individual application for refugee status in accordance with this Proclamation.