‘Is there anything we can do as well as praying for those imprisoned in Eritrea?’ one supporter asked during our annual prayer and protest vigil for Eritrean prisoners of conscience. Our answer was yes – the prayer vigil always has a protest element, and this year we created a Facebook and Twitter campaign highlighting the lack of rights and freedoms in Eritrea.
Research and analysis is a core part of our work, and we regularly advocate at international arenas like the United Nations. We are pleased to share the some of the results of recent advocacy on Eritrea. As a supporter of CSW, you are part of this work, and part of this win.
In July, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea was renewed for a further year and was strengthened slightly following a vote at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). This was what we had advocated for.
Special Rapporteurs are independent, impartial and unpaid human rights experts appointed by the UN to either monitor the general human rights situation in a specific country, or how a specific thematic human right or issue, like freedom of religion or belief, is being respected across the world.
Each Rapporteur’s role includes monitoring, reporting on and making recommendations for their area of responsibility.
Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker is the current Special Rapporteur on Eritrea. In his report released during the June HRC session, he highlighted – among other violations – issues surrounding forced military conscription, arbitrary arrests, disappearances and torture, and the continuing detentions of Christians and other religious adherents.
Never taken for granted
A Special Rapporteur’s mandate lasts for a set period of one year. During the June session, members of the HRC vote on whether or not it should be renewed.
There are 47 members of the Human Rights Council – each representing a UN member state. They are elected by the UN General Assembly to serve for three years.
Unfortunately, some countries on the HRC often have a vested interest in blocking the renewal of the mandates of Special Rapporteurs or Commissions of Inquiry.
For example, if one country is trying to finalise a trade deal with another country, it may not wish to be potentially seen as publicly criticising the second country’s human rights record by voting for the mandate renewal. Other countries may even be human rights violators themselves.
Consequently, although it may appear obvious that countries like Eritrea should be kept under scrutiny until it no longer commits its horrific human rights violations, we can never take the renewal of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate for granted.
Context
In May 2002, the Eritrean government ordered the closure of all churches not belonging to the Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Lutheran denominations. They also ordered an end to all other religious practices except Islam.
The two decades since then have been marked by a repression so severe that every month since then, several hundred citizens have risked their lives fleeing the country. In 2022, some 37,537 Eritreans applied for asylum in other countries.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Eritreans are detained in life-threatening conditions, in more than 300 sites across the country. Most have not been formally charged with any crime, nor have they had a trial. Some have been detained for decades because of their political views or religious beliefs.
Waiting anxiously, praying earnestly
In the run up to the renewal vote, we meet with as many HRC members as we can, presenting our research to illustrate that the situation in Eritrea is still utterly dire, and encouraging them to vote for the Rapporteur’s mandate to be renewed. We are particularly grateful for the donors who made it possible for our Eritrea officer, Dr Khataza Gondwe, who is also the Africa and Middle East Team Leader and co-Head of Advocacy, to attend the March and June sessions in person and engage directly with country delegations this year.
Claire Denman, who leads our UN work, said: ‘Every year we pray earnestly as a staff team for a positive result, and every year we celebrate when the resolution renewing the mandate is passed. And almost immediately, the work of ensuring the next renewal begins! Thank you for all you do to support this work.’
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea is crucial to ensuring perpetrators are held to account for their continued appalling crimes, and it is the sole means of independent international monitoring. We are committed to ensuring its renewal, while we continue praying and working towards the day when it will no longer be needed.