A/HRC/26/13
30.
The delegation stated that Eritrea had submitted reports under the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights
of the Child and the eight fundamental conventions of the International Labour
Organization (ILO). The Government had responded to many questionnaires and letters
from those monitoring bodies and had also responded positively to communications
transmitted under the complaint procedure of the Human Rights Council, as well as directly
to the Council during its twentieth and twenty-first sessions. Eritrea had attended all the
regular sessions of the Council since the nineteenth session with the objective of working
closely with the Council.
31.
The delegation stated that Eritrea had been wrongly targeted with politically
motivated resolutions of the Council that denigrated the ongoing efforts of the Government
in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. Eritrea considered
that country-specific resolutions did not serve the advancement of human rights and
constituted a double standard and a deviation from the UPR process, which was a forum for
constructive engagement.
32.
The imposition of unjustified sanctions had negatively impacted the full enjoyment
of human rights. Eritrea had been subjected to a litany of accusations of gross violations of
human rights, while the facts on the ground illustrated that those accusations were invalid
and were mainly motivated by sinister political agendas.
33.
The sanctions imposed on Eritrea by the United Nations and the continued
occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories entailed the prolongation of national service and
other onerous burdens on the country and its people, which also deserved consideration.
Unnecessary expenditure for defence as well as undesirable delays in some aspects of the
political process were byproducts of that reality and it was in that respect that the continued
occupation of its sovereign territories violated the right of the Eritrean people to live in
peace. In that regard, the delegation called on the Council to give due regard in its agenda
to the right of the Eritrean people to live in peace.
34.
The delegation provided information on some of Eritrea’s best practices in the
advancement of human rights, which included the community-based approach to addressing
social problems, the approach to orphans and other vulnerable children with disabilities,
provision of free education up to the tertiary level, charging of a nominal fee for health
services up to referral treatment and the institution of the Injury Surveillance System. The
country also observed United Nations recognized international days as occasions to
promote public awareness on critical issues.
B.
Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review
35.
During the interactive dialogue, 70 delegations made statements. The
recommendations made during the dialogue can be found in section II of the present report.
36.
Armenia noted the efforts to improve socioeconomic conditions, especially the
national policy on food security. Noting the provision of free compulsory basic education
and efforts to improve school enrolment, it expressed concern that the final year of
schooling was undertaken in military training camps.
37.
Australia was disappointed that no special procedures mandate holder had been
permitted to visit Eritrea, and that the country’s Constitution had still not been
implemented. It was concerned about reports of torture, harsh prison conditions,
incommunicado detention and compulsory military service.
38.
Austria commended Eritrea for inviting OHCHR to visit the country. It expressed
concern about the lack of due judicial process, questionable detentions and poor detention
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