A/HRC/RES/35/35
Regretting the lack of cooperation by the Government of Eritrea with the
commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea and the continued lack of cooperation
with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, including the denial
of access to the country,
Recalling the reports of the commission of inquiry, 1 and continuing to express its
deep concern at the findings contained therein regarding past and ongoing human rights
violations and abuses, such as enslavement, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance,
torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, rape and murder, and that there are reasonable
grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in Eritrea since 1991,
and reiterating that all perpetrators of such violations and abuses must be held accountable,
Emphasizing that every citizen has the right to take part in the conduct of public
affairs of his or her country, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and
expressing grave concern that national elections in Eritrea have not been held since 1993
and that the Constitution of 1997 has never been implemented,
Noting with deep concern the findings of the commission of inquiry regarding
crimes involving human rights violations and abuses, committed by government and ruling
party officials, military commanders and members of the National Security Office,
Noting with grave concern the continued use by the Government of Eritrea of
arbitrary arrest and detention, including incommunicado detention in extremely harsh and
life-threatening conditions, of persons suspected of evasion of national service, attempting
to flee the country or unable to produce identity documents, exercising the right to freedom
of religion, or freedom of opinion and expression, including of those perceived as critical of
the Government, of those who return to the country after having fled national service, and
of those detained in the aftermath of the attempt to take over, on 21 January 2013, the
building of the Ministry of Information,
Welcoming the release by the Government of Eritrea, following the mediation of the
Government of Qatar, of four Djiboutian prisoners of war on 18 March 2016, while
recalling that 13 other Djiboutian prisoners of war are still detained in Eritrea,
Expressing grave concern at the widespread use of indefinite conscription into
national/military service, a system that constitutes forced labour, including in a wide range
of economic activities, and the reported forced conscription of children into military
service, and regretting that the fear and experience of a lengthy national service causes
large numbers of Eritreans to leave the country,
Deeply concerned that the situation of human rights in Eritrea is a primary factor in
the large number of Eritreans leaving their country, often facing risks of abduction,
abhorrent physical and mental abuse and other ill-treatment on their migration path,
including abuses by smugglers and human traffickers, while welcoming the participation of
the Government of Eritrea in multilateral forums to discuss counter-trafficking efforts,
Noting with deep concern the findings of the commission of inquiry regarding
persecution on both religious and ethnic grounds, including of members of non-authorized
religious denominations,
1.
Recalls the report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea,2
stresses the importance of the work of the commission of inquiry and the information it has
1
2
2
A/HRC/29/42 and A/HRC/32/47.
A/HRC/32/47.