Eritrea - October 2022

A report from the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea to the UN General Assembly, found that the country’s involvement in the war in Tigray, Ethiopia, has negatively impacted its human rights situation. It noted in particular that the increased militarization of the country has prompted a rise in forced conscriptions. Amongst the forced recruits are growing numbers of children and Eritrean refugees kidnapped from Ethiopia. The Special Rapporteur also reported that the arrest of at least 47 Christians has reversed a positive trend in freedom of religion. Civic and democratic space remains tightly closed, with Eritreans unable to express dissent or participate in decision-making and hundreds subject to prolonged and arbitrary detention. According to the report, no attempts had been made by the government to tackle impunity and victims of human rights abuses continue to be denied access to justice.         

Sources: UN (1), UN (2)