Daniel Bekele has stepped down from his position as head of the state-appointed but legally-autonomous Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, or EHRC.

Tagesse Chafo, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, bade farewell to Daniel Bekele as he completed his five-year tenure.

This comes a day after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed openly criticized, without naming it, the institution responsible for monitoring respect for human rights in Ethiopia, accusing it of being “hostage to foreigners.”

“I would like to suggest that parliament begin investigating the role of human rights institutions in Ethiopia,” Abiy said during a question-and-answer session with MPs in an assembly where his Prosperity Party (PP) holds more than 95% of the seats. “We pay their salaries, but it seems that these institutions are pursuing the objectives of foreigners,” the prime minister added. “Human rights institutions are free from government influence, but they are hostage to foreigners,” he said, without providing further details or substantiating his accusations.

Abiy’s remarks came on the eve of the publication of the EHRC’s annual report and the conclusion of the current EHRC Commissioner’s five-year term.