The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Dr. Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker,** is pleased to share with you his latest report on human rights in Eritrea, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 53/2. The report covers the period from 25 April 2023 to 16 April 2024.
In his report, the Special Rapporteur provides an overview of the human rights situation in Eritrea, with a focus on the persistent violations in the context of the indefinite and compulsory national service, the repression of freedom of religion or belief, the state of the rule of law and the administration of justice, and violations of civil and political rights, including prolonged and arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. The Special Rapporteur highlights the lack of civic space in Eritrea and evolving patterns of transnational repression. He expresses concern over the continued presence and involvement of Eritrean forces in the commission of human rights violations in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Special Rapporteur stresses the serious challenges faced in the protection of Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers. Throughout the report, he assesses the level of implementation by Eritrea of the recommendations of human rights mechanisms, noting that they remain largely unimplemented. The report concludes with recommendations to the Government of Eritrea and the international community.
The report is now publicly available, and will be officially presented at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 20 June.
** Dr. Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker (Sudan) was appointed as Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in Eritrea by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2020. Dr. Babiker is an Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Khartoum and founding Director of its Human Rights Centre. He is also a practicing lawyer and has conducted investigations in many countries in the Horn of Africa in the areas of human rights and international humanitarian law. He has extensive experience working with international human rights organizations and institutions, including the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU). In December 2017, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as Humanitarian Expert with the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group. In December 2018, he was also appointed as the Humanitarian Expert with the Panel of Experts on Somalia.
Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
For more information and media requests, please contact Ms. Ainhoa Barrenechea (abarrenechea@ohchr.org / +41 22 917 8967).
