CSW and 30 other human rights organisations have written to Member and Observer States of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) urging them to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, which is up for renewal at the upcoming 62^nd session of the HRC.

The letter emphasises that one year after the most recent extension of the special rapporteur’s mandate, the situation of human rights in Eritrea ‘has not fundamentally changed’. It highlights that over 10,000 people are estimated to be in arbitrary detention, including 11 government officials who called for democratic reforms and have been held incommunicado since September 2001, and that the country remains ranked 180^th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Index.

The letter also highlights the 10^th anniversary of the release of the final report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, which in June 2016 found ‘reasonable grounds to believe’ that crimes against humanity have been committed in the country since 1991 and that ‘Eritrean officials have committed and continue to commit the crimes of enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, rape, and murder.’

Eritrea is yet to make any progress in the five minimum human rights standards benchmarks established by the mandate in June 2020, namely, in the rule of law, national service reforms, the promotion of civil liberties, women's rights and gender equality, and an improvement in the operating environment for international agencies. The letter emphasises that the failure to make progress is due to policy rather than any deficiency: ‘In a context in which Eritrea refuses to meaningfully cooperate with the Council and its mechanisms, and considering that the cause of serious violations in the country is political in nature, rather than merely due to a lack of capacity or resources, the provision of technical assistance and capacity-building would at this time be neither efficient nor adequate to address the country’s challenges.’

The signatories conclude by urging the Council to adopt a resolution that extends the mandate of the special rapporteur, requests that the rapporteur and the High Commissioner for Human Rights present updates on human rights in Eritrea at the 64^th session of the HRC, and requests that the Special Rapporteur presents a written report at the 65^th session of the HRC and 81^st session of the UN General Assembly.

In April, reports emerged of 24 Christians being released from prison, one of whom had been imprisoned for over 18 years. There is speculation releases are designed free up space for new inmates, as they coincide with reports of the refoulement or threatened refoulement by the United States (US) and Egypt of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers, and of warming relations with the Trump administration.

CSW’s UN Officer Claire Denman said: ‘That the government of Eritrea continues to go to great lengths to prevent scrutiny of its human rights record is evidence of the positive impact of the work of the mandate of the special rapporteur. Without a continued spotlight on the country, the regime would be further emboldened to commit gross violations, including crimes against humanity, with impunity, and the victims of these violations would be abandoned and unheard. We urge Member States not to be misled by the Eritrean government’s efforts to paint a false picture of progress, and to instead support a strong resolution that extends the mandate of the special rapporteur, assisting the mandate holder whenever requested.’

Note to Editors:

1. Click here to read the letter.