Apr. 11 2024
Source Page: Appointment of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Eritrea: David McIlroyFound: Appointment of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Eritrea: David McIlroy
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make representations to his Eritrean counterpart for the release of religious detainees.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We consistently raise the need to improve the human rights situation with the Eritrean Government. We advocate for national service reform and the end of arbitrary detentions, including detentions based on religion or belief. Eritrea is a priority country in the FCDO Annual Human Rights Report and we support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2023. As we have stated at the Human Rights Council, all those who have been unjustly incarcerated must be released.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Eritrea.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We consistently raise the need to improve the human rights situation with the Eritrean Government. We advocate for national service reform and the end of arbitrary detentions, including detentions based on religion or belief. Eritrea is a priority country in the FCDO Annual Human Rights Report and we support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2023. As we have stated at the Human Rights Council, all those who have been unjustly incarcerated must be released.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support people in Eritrea following the recent violence in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Whilst we are unaware of reports of recent violence, the UK has consistently highlighted human rights issues in Eritrea including through the UK's Human Rights Ambassador.
Jun. 29 2023
Source Page: Eritrea: Knowledge Base profileFound: Eritrea: Knowledge Base profile
Mentions:
1: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) It may come as a surprise to the House to hear that Eritrea is an elected member of the UN Human Rights - Speech Link
2: Patrick Grady (SNP - Glasgow North) As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Eritrea, I often hear the country described as the North - Speech Link
3: Andrew Mitchell (Con - Sutton Coldfield) Eritrea ranks towards the bottom of the world press freedom index. - Speech Link
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) make an assessment of the likelihood of conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, (b) tackle the risks of material support for armed groups within Ethiopia from neighbouring states and c) support the African Union on these issues.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We continue to engage the Ethiopian government on peace within the country and in the region. On 27 October, the British Ambassador to Ethiopia told Ethiopia's national security advisor that Red Sea port access should not be pursued by aggression. To mark the one year anniversary of the Pretoria peace deal, the British Embassy Addis Ababa coordinated a joint statement with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, which called for further progress on implementation, including the full withdrawal of Eritrean and non-government forces from Ethiopia. The UK is also contributing funding to the African Union's Monitoring, Compliance and Verification Mechanism to support implementation, and we continue to press the government of Ethiopia, and all armed actors, to resolve their disputes through inclusive dialogue.
Mentions:
1: Fiona Bruce (Con - Congleton) It is happening in Asia and Africa too, in countries such as Eritrea, where there is appalling cruelty - Speech Link
Found: This briefing surveys recent political developments in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan
Jun. 20 2023
Source Page: UN HRC53: Statement on human rights situation in EritreaFound: UN HRC53: Statement on human rights situation in Eritrea