CSW Urges UN to Extend Eritrea Human Rights Mandate Amid Abuses

The Urgent Call to Extend Eritrea’s Human Rights Scrutiny

In a concerted effort to uphold human rights, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) alongside 30 other organizations is urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea. Despite the extension granted last year, significant issues persist, as highlighted in a letter these groups have collectively endorsed.

Reports suggest that over 10,000 individuals are currently detained without due process, with eleven people having been held incommunicado for close to 25 years following their call for democratic reforms in Eritrea.

“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,” stated Claire Denman, UN Officer for CSW. She further emphasized the need for ongoing oversight to prevent further human rights violations.

Back in 2016, a UN Commission of Inquiry discovered credible evidence indicating crimes against humanity occurring in Eritrea since 1991. The commission identified involvement of Eritrean officials in a range of atrocities including enslavement, torture, and murder.

The recent letter advocating for the mandate’s renewal stresses the stagnant state of civil liberties, rule of law, and women’s rights since 2020. The signatories argue that the issues stem from political choices rather than resource constraints: “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.”

Ms. Denman also warned against the Eritrean government’s attempts to mislead international observers about the progress in their human rights landscape. She urged, “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.”