119-sres350

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 350 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 350

 Recognizing widespread decades-long human rights abuses in Eritrea, 
including indefinite imprisonment, inhumane prison conditions, and the 
 absence of democratic institutions, and expressing support for the 
 rights and freedom of the Eritrean people.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 31, 2025

 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Coons) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
 Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Recognizing widespread decades-long human rights abuses in Eritrea, 
including indefinite imprisonment, inhumane prison conditions, and the 
 absence of democratic institutions, and expressing support for the 
 rights and freedom of the Eritrean people.

Whereas, in 1993, Eritrea held a United Nations-supervised referendum in which 
 99.8 percent of voters supported independence from Ethiopia, leading to 
 international recognition of Eritrea as a sovereign state;
Whereas pro-independence politician Isaias Afwerki was chosen by the National 
 Assembly as the country's first post-independence President, and he has 
 remained in that position since 2013, even though Eritrea has never held 
 a national election;
Whereas, in the years immediately following independence, the Provisional 
 Government of Eritrea convened a Constitutional Commission to draft a 
 new constitution, a process which--

    (1) included input from economic and social groups, civil society, and 
diaspora communities; and

    (2) sought to enshrine democratic rights and freedoms for the people of 
Eritrea;

Whereas, when the Constitution of Eritrea was unanimously approved and ratified 
 in 1997, it included key freedoms, rights to participate ``in any 
 position of leadership in the country'' and ``conditions necessary for 
 developing a democratic political culture'', the ``right to vote'', the 
 ``guarantee'' to actively participate in ``all political life'', and the 
 right to a ``fair, speedy, and public'' trial and ``due process'' of 
 law;
Whereas, despite ratification, the Constitution was never formally implemented, 
 and since independence, Eritrea has yet to hold a national election, 
 remaining a one-party state ruled by President Isaias Afwerki without a 
 functioning legislature, independent judiciary, or free press;
Whereas President Afwerki exercises de facto control over legislative functions, 
 including the National Assembly, which has not met since 2002;
Whereas, since independence, President Afwerki's government has maintained a 
 highly repressive grip on society through the use of arbitrary 
 detention, mass surveillance, and control of all religious and civic 
 organizations;
Whereas, in 2001, the Government of Eritrea shut down all independent press and 
 arrested a group of high-ranking former political leaders who called for 
 democratic reforms, known as the ``G-15'';
Whereas the 2016 United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea 
 concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the 
 Government of Eritrea had committed ``crimes against humanity'' in a 
 ``widespread and systematic manner'' against its own population, 
 including imprisonment, enslavement, enforced disappearance, 
 persecution, and torture;
Whereas the 2019 UNHCR Global Trends Report ranked Eritrea among the top 10 
 countries of origin for refugees, with more than 500,000 displaced in 
 part due to political repression and systemic human rights abuses;
Whereas the 2024 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human 
 Rights in Eritrea mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council 
 found the human rights situation in Eritrea remains dire, with no signs 
 of institutional or policy reform, as citizens are subjected to 
 indefinite national service, arbitrary detention, enforced 
 disappearance, transnational repression, and a deeply entrenched culture 
 of fear;
Whereas Eritrea's extensive prison system includes secret and unofficial 
 detention centers where detainees are held indefinitely and often 
 without notification of charges or access to legal representation;
Whereas prisoners in Eritrea are routinely subject to inhumane and life-
 threatening conditions, including--

    (1) overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, including in underground 
bunkers or shipping containers;

    (2) extreme temperatures; and

    (3) denial of adequate food, water, and medical care;

Whereas Eritrea has consistently refused to cooperate with the United Nations 
 Special Rapporteur or allow access for the United Nations Special 
 Rapporteur to conduct oversight on the country's human rights 
 conditions;
Whereas religious persecution remains widespread in Eritrea, with members of 
 faiths not recognized by the government routinely imprisoned and 
 subjected to torture and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment 
 for practicing their beliefs;
Whereas Eritrea's national service program was initially mandated to last 18 
 months, but has become indefinite and compulsory in practice for a 
 significant portion of the population, trapping thousands of youths into 
 years of effectively state-sponsored forced labor;
Whereas the 2024 and 2025 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index 
 ranked Eritrea last out of 180 countries, describing Eritrea as an 
 ``information desert'' where no independent media outlets exist and 
 journalists face indefinite detention without trial; and
Whereas Eritrea remains diplomatically isolated as a result of its entrenched 
 autocracy and refusal to engage in human rights reforms--an isolation 
 that comes at a great cost to the Eritrean people: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) condemns the Government of Eritrea's systemic human 
 rights violations and abuses, which include arbitrary and 
 indefinite detention, religious persecution, and torture;

    (2) calls on the Government of Eritrea to--
        (A) release all unjustly and arbitrarily detained 
 political prisoners;
        (B) provide for the human rights and fundamental 
 freedoms called for in its Constitution;
            (C) provide an opportunity for the Eritrean people 
 to democratically choose their leaders; and
            (D) allow the United Nations Special Rapporteur to 
 access the country;

    (3) stands with the Eritrean people in their aspiration for 
 democratic governance, dignity, and freedom; and

    (4) welcomes the prospect of stronger ties with Eritrea as 
 the country takes meaningful steps to open its political system 
 and advance human rights and fundamental freedoms.
 <all>