Eritrea

Country Profile

There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Eritrea during the year. In March the U.S. Secretary of State determined that the Eritrean Defense Forces committed war crimes during the conflict in northern Ethiopia, as well as crimes against humanity including murder, rape, and other forms of sexual violence.

Significant human rights issues included credible reports of enforced disappearance; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; political prisoners or detainees; transnational repression against individuals in another country; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; serious abuses in a conflict, including reportedly unlawful civilian deaths, abductions, physical abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence; unlawful recruitment or use of children in armed conflict by the government; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including unjustified arrests or prosecution of journalists and censorship; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental and civil society organizations; restrictions on religious freedom; restrictions on freedom of movement and residence within the territory of the state and on the right to leave the country; inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; serious government restrictions on domestic and international human rights organizations; extensive gender-based violence, including domestic or intimate partner violence, sexual violence, workplace violence, and other forms of such violence; trafficking in persons, including forced labor; laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, which were enforced; prohibiting independent trade unions and systematic restrictions on workers’ freedom of association; and existence of the worst forms of child labor.

The government did not take credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.

Cases

Imprisoned

Image Dawit Isaak

Died in Custody

Image Abune Antonios

For Further Reference

Full U.S. Department of State Human Rights Country Report
U.S. Department of State International Religious Freedom Country Report
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Annual Report Chapter
U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report Country Narrative
Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review
Human Rights Watch World Report Country Chapter
Amnesty International Annual Report Country Chapter
Freedom House Freedom in the World Country Report