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| UN panel calls for Eritrea to be referred to Hague court | UN panel calls for Eritrea to be referred to Hague court |
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| Eritrea’s widespread human rights abuses should be referred to the international criminal court as crimes against humanity, a United Nations commission of inquiry has said. | Eritrea’s widespread human rights abuses should be referred to the international criminal court as crimes against humanity, a United Nations commission of inquiry has said. |
| The commission said the Eritrean government had made no progress on the most critical rights violations that it had first documented in an inquiry a year ago. | The commission said the Eritrean government had made no progress on the most critical rights violations that it had first documented in an inquiry a year ago. |
| Eritrean refugees are one of the largest groups trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The new report says 47,025 Eritreans applied for asylum in Europe in 2015. | Eritrean refugees are one of the largest groups trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The new report says 47,025 Eritreans applied for asylum in Europe in 2015. |
| “The crimes of enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture, persecution, rape, murder and other inhumane acts have been committed as part of a widespread, systematic campaign against the civilian population since 1991,” the commission’s chair, Mike Smith, said in Geneva. | “The crimes of enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture, persecution, rape, murder and other inhumane acts have been committed as part of a widespread, systematic campaign against the civilian population since 1991,” the commission’s chair, Mike Smith, said in Geneva. |
| He said the commission’s role was investigative, not prosecutorial, and he stopped short of identifying any potential suspects or saying how many there were. | He said the commission’s role was investigative, not prosecutorial, and he stopped short of identifying any potential suspects or saying how many there were. |
| The report said officials “at the highest levels of state” bore responsibility for crimes against humanity. The commission has compiled dossiers of evidence against a number of officials that “will be made available at the appropriate time to relevant institutions, including courts of law”. | The report said officials “at the highest levels of state” bore responsibility for crimes against humanity. The commission has compiled dossiers of evidence against a number of officials that “will be made available at the appropriate time to relevant institutions, including courts of law”. |
| Related: EU considering working with Sudan and Eritrea to stem migration | Related: EU considering working with Sudan and Eritrea to stem migration |
| Yemane Gebreab, an adviser to Eritrea’s president, Isaias Afwerki, accused the panel of being “entirely one-sided”. | |
| The three-member UN commission, which was not allowed to visit Eritrea, said many violations occurred behind “the facade of calm and normality that is apparent to the occasional visitor to the country”. | The three-member UN commission, which was not allowed to visit Eritrea, said many violations occurred behind “the facade of calm and normality that is apparent to the occasional visitor to the country”. |
| It highlighted the indefinite duration and abusive conditions of Eritrea’s military service. Smith estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 people were enslaved in Eritrea, mostly through military conscription. | It highlighted the indefinite duration and abusive conditions of Eritrea’s military service. Smith estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 people were enslaved in Eritrea, mostly through military conscription. |