Eritrea attempts to end UN abuses probe

Eritrea is trying to cancel the mandate of a UN expert investigating alleged abuses, a document sent to the UN Human Rights Council showed, in a rare move that Western diplomats fear may set a precedent for states looking to escape scrutiny. According to TimesLIVE, the special rapporteur, a position held by Sudanese human rights lawyer Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, is mandated to document violations in Eritrea, where civil society groups such as Human Rights Watch say impunity is widespread. In a May report he described the situation as ‘critical’, highlighting cases of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and the use of lengthy national and military service terms that are driving thousands to flee. Eritrea's Information Ministry and its diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Eritrea, which has long opposed the mandate, sent a large delegation to champion its proposal at a UN meeting in Geneva last Monday and voiced opposition to investigations targeting individual countries' records. States like Sudan, Russia and Iran backed it while the EU and Britain were among those who opposed it in a polarised debate, diplomats said.

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