The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release around 10,000 people arbitrarily detained in the country, including politicians, journalists, religious figures and students who have been denied trial for years and held in harsh conditions.
The appeal comes despite the UN welcoming the recent release of 13 individuals who had spent nearly 18 years in arbitrary detention, describing the move as “encouraging.”
UN spokesperson Seif Magango said the office remains ready to continue engaging with Asmara to ensure compliance with the country’s international obligations.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Concern-Eritrea reported that some of those released had been held in metal shipping containers at Mai Serwa prison, exposed to extreme weather conditions.
Eritrea, ruled by President Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence in 1993, has long faced allegations of serious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and forced conscription, and consistently ranks near the bottom of global human rights and freedom indices.
