Eritreans subject to torture, sexual violence during national service — UN investigator

Eritrean refugees and asylum-seekers have reported that they had experienced torture, inhumane or degrading treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, forced labor and abusive conditions during compulsory national service in the country, according to an UN report circulated Monday (7 August).

The UN independent investigator on human rights, Mohamed Babiker, said in the report that Eritrea, which has a policy of indefinite national service, has ignored numerous calls from human rights bodies to ensure legal limits for the duration of the civil and military service and to protect the human rights of all participants. While Eritrea maintains its national service program is “unfairly judged,” he said he continues to receive “numerous and credible reports of grave human rights violation in the context of forced national/military service.” Conscientious objection is not allowed in Eritrea, Babiker said, “and deserters and draft evaders continued to be subjected to arbitrary detention in highly punitive conditions, enforced disappearance and torture.”

Human rights groups describe Eritrea as one of the world’s most repressive countries. Since winning independence from Ethiopia 30 years ago, the small Horn of Africa nation has been led by President Isaias Afwerki, who has refused the implement the 1997 constitution, never held an election and governs the country without the rule of law and any constraints on his power. Millions of people have fled conditions such as forced military conscription. Eritrea has also been accused of widespread human rights violations in neighboring Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.