The UN human rights office is demanding that Eritrea free thousands of people it says are being held arbitrarily. They estimate over ten thousand detainees, including politicians, journalists, and students, remain imprisoned without trial. This call comes despite noting the recent release of thirteen individuals after nearly twenty years.
A prominent case involves a group of eleven former officials, known as the G11, who advocated for democratic reforms. They were seized after writing an open letter to the long-serving president in 2001 and have been held incommunicado ever since, with their whereabouts unknown. Amnesty International cites this crackdown as the end of a free press in the country.
Reports describe detainees being kept in harsh conditions like metal shipping containers, leading to illness and death. Broad human rights violations by the state, including forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, have been documented by outside observers. The UN office says it remains ready to work with Eritrean authorities on compliance with international law.
A prominent case involves a group of eleven former officials, known as the G11, who advocated for democratic reforms. They were seized after writing an open letter to the long-serving president in 2001 and have been held incommunicado ever since, with their whereabouts unknown. Amnesty International cites this crackdown as the end of a free press in the country.
Reports describe detainees being kept in harsh conditions like metal shipping containers, leading to illness and death. Broad human rights violations by the state, including forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, have been documented by outside observers. The UN office says it remains ready to work with Eritrean authorities on compliance with international law.
