A/HRC/RES/26/24 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 14 July 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-sixth session Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 26/24 Situation of human rights in Eritrea The Human Rights Council, Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments, Recalling resolution 91 and decisions 250/2002 and 275/2003 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Recalling also its resolution 5/1, on institution-building of the Human Rights Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his or her duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto, Recalling further its resolutions 20/20 of 6 July 2012 and 23/21 of 14 June 2013, Emphasizing that everyone has the right to take part in the government of his or her country, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and expressing grave concern that national elections in Eritrea have not been held since 1993, Reiterating its deep concern at the ongoing reports of grave violations of human rights by the Eritrean authorities against their own population and fellow citizens, including violation of civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights, and the alarming number of civilians fleeing Eritrea as a result of those violations, Noting with grave concern the continued use by the Government of Eritrea of arbitrary arrest and detention, including incommunicado detention and in life-threatening conditions, of persons for suspected of evasion of national service, attempting to flee the country or having a family member who has fled, inability to produce identity documents, being a journalist, exercising the right to freedom of religion, being perceived as critical of the Government, and of those who return to the country, as well as those detained in the aftermath of the takeover on 21 January 2013 of the building housing the Ministry of Information, GE.14-08292 (E) *1408292*