KEYIR NEWS:- Eritrea has submitted a formal motion to the United Nations calling for the abolition of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, in a move widely seen as an attempt to evade growing international scrutiny.
The mandate, established in 2012 by the UN Human Rights Council, is currently held by Sudanese human rights lawyer Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker.
In his latest report submitted in May, Babiker described the human rights situation in Eritrea as “critical”, citing widespread enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and the indefinite national military service imposed on all male citizens.
Asmara has long rejected the rapporteur’s findings, accusing the UN mechanism of bias and interference in its internal affairs.
The government’s motion to terminate the mandate is scheduled to be tabled for a vote next month, potentially triggering a heated debate among UN member states.
Critics argue that dismantling the oversight mechanism would embolden impunity and deal a significant blow to victims of human rights violations.
“This sets a dangerous precedent,” said one human rights advocate familiar with the matter.
“It sends a message that governments under investigation can simply challenge the process when uncomfortable truths are revealed.”
Eritrea has repeatedly denied allegations of systemic abuses, positioning itself as a sovereign state unfairly targeted by external actors. However, rights groups and diaspora activists insist that international pressure remains a necessary check on the regime’s opaque governance.
If the motion succeeds, it would mark a significant rollback in multilateral efforts to hold Eritrea accountable, raising broader concerns about the weakening of global human rights institutions in the face of growing resistance from authoritarian-leaning states.