while addressing human rights councilNada al-Nashif warns that serious violations of people’s basic liberties continue in Eritrea”and show no signs of improvement,
military service
In addition to the long standing problem indefinite military service – which intensified during the recent Tigray conflict in Ethiopia – Ms Al-Nashif stressed that the withdrawal of the Eritrean Defense Force (EDF) from Ethiopia remains agreed ” very slow and largely incomplete,
And despite the United Nations Human Rights Office reports detailing since November 2021 how EDF soldiers have attacked civilians and carried out extrajudicial killings and killings, No accountability mechanism has been established by Eritrea, the UN deputy commissioner continued. “Eritrea has rejected this … report and Criminals in the EDF are allowed to operate with impunity, There is no real possibility that the domestic judicial system will hold the perpetrators accountable,” she said.
forced recruitment
Echoing that assessment, the UN Special Rapporteur for Eritrea said that the military recruitment round-up – known as “GIFA” – had “intensified dramatically” in Asmara, Segheneti, Hebo, Akroor. , etc. With the emergence of new places in Kontsi, Degra, Adengefom and. Digsa.
“There were many families evicted from their properties and forced to live outside their homes if they do not hand over or surrender their missing family members or relatives many youths are living in hidingSometimes even while living in forests, trying to avoid mass recruitment,” he said.
The call-up of thousands of reservists aged 40-66 to fight in Tigray in September 2022 was equally concerning, the Special Rapporteur told the Council, before outlining how the situation “iscontinued to push thousands of Eritreans to flee” Country.
gone but not forgotten
Mr Babikar also expressed deep concern for the many Eritreans who are arbitrarily detained, “and some in secret prisons, missing for more than two decades”.
These include 16 journalists. Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaac was last seen 20 years agoMohamed Abdelsalam Babikar told the Council, making him the longest detained journalist in the world.
The update by the Special Rapporteur for the Rights Forum also noted that there is no information on former members of the Eritrean government, known as the “G-15”, who have been detained since 2001.
child tragedy
whereabouts unclear Siham Ali AbduAn American-Eritrean citizen and the daughter of a former information minister who was 15 when she was detained.
“In all these cases, Eritrea refuses to accept lack of freedom by concealing whereabouts of missing personsand are therefore excluded from the protection of the law,” Mr. Babikar told the Geneva Forum. “It is unacceptable that Eritreans consider disappearing people as a way of life in their country.”
In calling for more pressure on the Council for human rights reforms in Eritrea, the special envoy said the country lacked “the rule of law, a constitution, a national assembly, an independent judiciary and a democratic society”. Civil space is restricted in Eritrea, with no independent media, and Dissent is often faced in the form of arbitrary detention, disappearance or death.,