EU Voices Concerns Over Human Rights Situation In Eritrea

The European Union On Friday expressed concerns over continued human rights violations in Eritrea, especially arbitrary detentions and lack of religious freedom and freedom of expression.

"We remain deeply concerned that the State of Eritrea continues to violate its international and domestic obligations regarding human rights," the European bloc said in a statement.

EU expressed particular concerns over the continued detention of a charge, trial or legal counsel of eleven 11 prominent politicians, including three former cabinet ministers, since September 18, 2001.

The bloc also expressed concerns over the continued detention of ten independent journalists, including the Eritrean-EU citizen Dawit Isaak, since September 23, 2011. They are also being held without charges or trial.

"Despite repeated appeals by the international community, including the UN Human Rights Council and the EU, these people have been detained incommunicado for the last thirteen years, with all their rights suspended," the EU statement read.

The statement stressed that this conduct of the Eritrean government is in "clear violation of obligations established in the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by Eritrea, such as the prohibition against arbitrary detention."

The European bloc urged the Government of Eritrea to release these prisoners immediately and unconditionally, along with other prisoners detained for their political views. The bloc also requested the Eritrean government to release information on the whereabouts of these prisoners, and to ensure that they are given access to their families and lawyers.

Further, the EU called on the Government of Eritrea to honor its international human rights obligations and to urgently improve its human rights situation.

"The EU also calls on the Government to fully co-operate with the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea as well as to implement the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council during the Universal Periodic Review of the State of Eritrea in 2014," the note said.