UN Rejects Eritrea’s Bid To End Rights Scrutiny

The UN Human Rights Council rejected Eritrea’s attempt to stop international monitoring of its human rights record. Eritrea had proposed ending the role of the UN special rapporteur, claiming its rights issues were minor and due to limited resources. However, 25 countries voted against Eritrea’s proposal, and the mandate was renewed for another year. The [...]

Eritrea’s Youth Exodus

Many young people in Eritrea are leaving the country because of long national service, poor living conditions, and lack of freedom. Although the government says national service lasts 18 months, many youths are forced to serve for years. Some work in bad conditions with no sign of release. This has made many flee or plan [...]

Eritrea’s Endless Rule: 32 Years Of Power Without Reform

Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki has ruled the country for 32 years without holding elections. Once seen as a hopeful reformer, he promised democracy in the 1990s but later became increasingly authoritarian. After a war with Ethiopia in 1998, elections were postponed, and in 2001, the government shut down independent media and jailed critics. The 1997 [...]

Eritrea’s War On Free Press

In Eritrea, press freedom is almost non-existent. Since 2001, the government has shut down all private newspapers and arrested many journalists, writers, and poets without trial. At least 12 are still in prison, making them the longest-detained journalists in the world. The government, led by President Isaias Afwerki, controls all media and punishes those who [...]

UN Urged To Investigate Eritrea’s Rights Abuses

In May 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), along with 31 other organizations, urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea. This call highlights ongoing human rights violations in the country, including the arbitrary detention of journalists, severe media restrictions, and enforced disappearances. Eritrea remains [...]

Eritrea Marks 34 Years of Independence with Calls for Unity

Eritrea's 34th Independence Day on 24th May 2025 was commemorated with the theme "Our Cohesion: Our Armour" as an affirmation of the country's cohesion and strength. The celebrations lasted for a week, which included colorful parades, concerts, art shows, and cultural performances across the country. In the capital city of Asmara, roads were decorated with [...]

Human Rights Abuses In Eritrea

Eritrea has long been criticized for systematic human rights abuses. Citizens live under the constant threat of arbitrary detention, torture, and forced labor. Political opponents, journalists, and those accused of dissent often disappear without trial. The legal system is largely nonfunctional, and many are held in isolated, harsh prison conditions. Recruits in national service report [...]

Forced Military Recruitment In Eritrea

Eritrea’s national service program amounts to indefinite forced military or civil labor. All citizens aged 18 to 40 are required to undergo military training at the Sawa camp, followed by what is meant to be 18 months of service. In reality, many serve indefinitely, often for years or even decades, without pay or freedom to [...]

Repression in Eritrea

Eritrea remains one of the most repressive countries in the world. Since gaining independence in 1993, President Isaias Afwerki has ruled without elections, a ratified constitution, or political opposition. The country has no freedom of press or expression, with media tightly controlled and independent journalists often jailed or disappeared. Religious freedom is severely restricted—only four [...]

Persecution and Perseverance of Eritrean Christians

Eritrean Christians, particularly Evangelicals and Protestants, experience extreme persecution in Eritrea, as they are the only churches not officially recognized. Thousands of church members, including pastors such as Paulos, are imprisoned in torturous conditions within underground cells or shipping containers out in the desert, where it is extremely hot, cold, and dark, often resulting in [...]

Window International Network (WIN)

Window International Network (WIN)

Window International Network (WIN)
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