PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Eritrea: Prisoners (19 May 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Eritrea on the release of political prisoners, journalists and Aster Fissehatsion.

Asked by:
Dame Harriett Baldwin (Conservative)

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including the arrests of opposition leaders, journalists and religious figures. Since Aster Fissehatsion and others were detained in 2001, the UK Government, along with partners in the international community, have taken every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and have called for their release. We have done so directly with the Government of Eritrea and publicly - through our annual reporting on human rights and at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the HRC expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses. Although welcoming Eritrean acceptance of Universal Periodic Review recommendations and offering UK assistance in support of their implementation, she said that the UK would continue to press for the release of arbitrarily detained individuals including journalists, as well as reform of the National Service and freedom of religion or belief for worshippers of unregistered religions.

During visits to Eritrea, the FCO's Head of East Africa Department, in November 2019, and the Home Office International Director, in February 2020, both raised human rights issues with senior members of the Eritrean Government, including Freedom of Expression and National Service. In April our Ambassador in Asmara raised the prospect of releasing prisoners given their increasing risk of infection from Covid-19 with the President's chief political adviser, Yemane Gebreab. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

Answered by:
Sir James Duddridge (Conservative)
4 June 2020