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Eritrea faces more UN scrutiny, a step closer to global court

GENEVA: Eritrea faces a second year of scrutiny by human rights investigators after the U.N. body overseeing them extended their mission on Thursday, a decision that may put the government at risk of referral to

GENEVA: Eritrea faces a second year of scrutiny by human rights investigators after the U.N. body overseeing them extended their mission on Thursday, a decision that may put the government at risk of referral to the International Criminal Court.

The U.N. Human Rights Council asked the independent investigators to use the time to consider if the Horn of Africa country was committing “crimes against humanity” – a level of offence that can be prosecuted by the global tribunal.

Eritrea’s envoy to the Geneva-based rights council described the decision as “politicised” and dismissed an earlier report detailing testimony of widespread torture, sexual violence, forced labour and mass surveillance as unfounded and biased.

Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world and around 5,000 of its citizens flee every month to try and join migrants heading towards Europe, according to the United Nations.

Somalia, which formally asked the U.N. council to extend the investigation of its near neighbour Eritrea, has regularly accused Eritrea of backing militants on its a territory, a charge Asmara rejects. Djibouti, which shares a border with Eritrea, also backed the resolution.

The investigators, who submitted a report last month, had recommended that the council extend their remit to decide whether crimes against humanity had been committed.

In the past they have said such a finding could lead later to a case before the Hague-based global court – a tribunal set up to investigate the worst crimes when local courts fail.

Thursday’s resolution told the investigators to look into “systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in Eritrea with a view to ensuring full accountability”.

Eritrean envoy Tesfamicael Gerahtu told the 47-member Council that his country believed that “the draft resolution is a recipe for sustained confrontation with no dividend for the promotion of human rights”.

He called Djibouti and Somalia “the usual bidders… on behalf of the main known architects”.

Gerahtu said Eritrea was “redoubling its development efforts to achieve a qualitative leap in the next three to four years,” and was strengthening human rights as part of this effort.

Last week the three U.N. investigators were given police protection, even inside the secure U.N. complex, after a senior official said they had received threats on the street and at their hotel.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Andrew Heavens)

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8 COMMENTS
  • Aman July 3, 2015

    Dear readers the case was presented to the international representatives and they have given their verdic. What needs to be clarify is the supporter of the Eritren regime residing in a democratic climent. They are exercising their docratice rights to demonstrate against the decision. However the issue concerning is about the Eritrens residing in Erirrea.
    If the regime in Eritrea believe the Verdic is wrong, they should allowed the following to held demonstration on the streets of Eritre.
    1 members if national service
    2 students
    3 civil Cervantes
    4. Prisoners
    5 elders members of the Eritrean society
    6 women’s assocition
    7 the youse association
    The case presented was concerning the above. Therefore the government of Eritrea should allow the groups to held demonstration on the street of Erotre

    Further the issue is nothing to do with sanction, do mislead the innocent Eritrean. If the case is proven the people who comited the crime will be brought to court.
    Our people needs to understand before involving.

  • geneva warrior July 3, 2015

    it is high time !

  • merhawit July 4, 2015

    In the first place the tyrant, and then followed by his plethora of army commanders(as headed by Filippos), the police and security thugs and members of the secret assassination squad (as represented by Abraha Kassa, Tesfalidet and Col. Meqhele), and last but not least, those desk criminals as represented by Yemane Monkey(the chief machiavellian ideologist), Yemane Charley(the chief of misinformation) and a certain number of the so-called diplomats(Girma Asmerom, who framed Asther Johannes), and Wedi Russom (Beyene Russom, who for personal grudges let his ex-wife Senait be put in the inhumane dungeons of the tyrant)- all these creatures certainly constitute the pillars of the arbitrary reign of terror in Eritrea, and there is solid ground that they be charged with crimes against humanity. The traumatised people of Eritrea are looking forward to the days when these criminals shall bring their last days not in the comfortable prison cells of the Hague, but in the stinking dungeons and metal containers of their own creation. “He who lives by the sword, will die by the sword”, says the Christian Holy Book.

  • Michael Tesfamariam July 4, 2015

    Well, the UN HRC is doing a great job and we must be able to offer our support until the day Issais and clowns appear in the dock.
    By the way Assenna is the only opposition media which feels and understands the our plights. I was able to witness the historic rally in Geneva on June 26 and I hope the same demo will be repeated in the heart Asmara.
    By the way I wanna want to know when did Assenna started officially as online media? I mean I came just few years ago but I was wondering if it were sill offering services when I was home about 5 years ago.

    • merhawit July 4, 2015

      Dear Michael,
      In addition to demo.archive.assenna.com u have awate.com and asmarino.com. A number of other opposition websites also do exist. Click link at awate.com, u’ll see all the websites.
      Good luck!

  • Michael Tesfamariam July 4, 2015

    Well, the UN HRC is doing a great job and we must be able to offer them our support until the day we see Issais and his clowns appeared in the dock.
    By the way Assenna is the only opposition media which feels and understands our plights. I was able to witness the historic rally in Geneva and the coverage by Emma on June 26 and I hope the same demo will be repeated in the heart Asmara.
    By the way I wanna know when did Assenna start officially as online media? I mean I came just few years ago and I didn’t know if it were sill offering this services when I was home about 5 years ago.

  • Dr zack July 4, 2015

    Yes and yes international Court for crimes of this magnitude in Eritrea. This paranoid dictator has been ordering the disappearances, killings,the most abhorrent crimes in”Hallewa Sawra”. He has been doing this with impunity for the last 40 years. Enough is enough let us move to the next stage and to the end of this tragedy. Thank you

  • tesema July 25, 2015

    Hello

    Nabey “Gemel Serika Gimbuh Gimbuh”

    Eritrean envoy Tesfamicael Gerahtu told the 47-member Council that his country believed that “the draft resolution is a recipe for sustained confrontation with no dividend for the promotion of human rights”

    He has not reflected the truth in/about Eritrea he talked about the “Simulation” of Eritrea not the real Eritrea because the retina in his brain doesn’t have the capacity to reflect the real objects/statuses of the country. He didn’t look in front of the mirror instead he did to the opposite “looked from the back side”. This activity is not a normal person’s activity because normality has its own meaning. I don’t have time to explain about what normality is but it is better to refer it on the relevant topics then after he can understand the true images of the Eritrean population or he can understand who he is. Mr Tesfamical Gerahatu , how can you try to hide the truth from the Eritrean population which were already known for many years and it is obvious that all the burdens are on their shoulders. The Humanitarian Council started to explain about the regime’s brutality act, now been told something of everything but things/facts will reveal more in the near future.

    Here is one Tigrinya pro-verve: Nabey “Gemel Serika Gimbuh Gimbuh” because It Is Impossible to hid the camel because the Camel is bigger than human. As such the crime against Humanity by the regime in Eritrea is exceeded than the normal standard. Therefore this will not resolved By “ Hagerawi Shimagle” which has already been launched by self claimed President Isaise Afewerki and his group.

    In the 21st century it is impossible to lead a country with out “law”. The only Lawless Country in the planet is Eritrea. Even Animals are led by the law of Nature. How about Eritrea? Why was the struggle of Eritreans? Is it to build a lawless country or for those seeking a leadership/president?

    Isaise Afewerki will draft a new constitution but he doesn’t have the capacity to do so as he doesn’t have a competent person to perform the action. Isaise always think in relation to the bushes/wild Animals not in relation to the villages/cities or Human beings. In this case, he is right because he might think to establish the Law of Jungle (due to his limitation or thinking capacity). The population of Eritrea must be led by the International standard rule of Law not by the law of Gungle; this must be sorted out by the world. This is the responsibility and accountability of the UN body in particular and the world too.

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