,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #cej  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #ca1 #bjbe ,mr4 
,durb9 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 & ,mr4  
,coons7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2   
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,relations  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+    
widespread decades-long human rights    
abuses 9 ,eritrea1 includ+ indef9ite    
imprisonm5t1 inhumane prison conditions1
 & ! abs5ce ( democratic in/itutions1 & 
express+ support = ! rights & fre$om ( !
 ,eritrean p4  ,:]eas1 9 #aiic1 ,eritrea
 held a ,unit$ ,nations-sup]vis$        
ref]5dum 9 :i* #ii4h p]c5t ( vot]s      
support$ indep5d5ce f ,e?iopia1 lead+ to
 int]national recognition ( ,eritrea z a
 sov]eign /ate2  ,:]eas pro-indep5d5ce  
politician ,isaias ,afw]ki 0 *os5 by !  
,national ,assembly z ! c\ntry's fir/   
po/-indep5d5ce ,presid5t1 & he has      
rema9$ 9 t position s9ce #bjac1 ev5 ?\gh
 ,eritrea has nev] held a national      
election2  ,:]eas1 9 ! ye>s imm$iately  
foll[+ indep5d5ce1 ! ,provisional       

,gov]nm5t ( ,eritrea conv5$ a           
,con/itutional ,commission to draft a   
new con/itution1 a process :i*--  7#a7  
includ$ input f economic & social gr\ps1
 civil society1 & diaspora communities2 
&  7#b7 s\ght to en%r9e democratic      
rights & fre$oms = ! p ( ,eritrea2      
,:]eas1 :5 ! ,con/itution ( ,eritrea 0  
unanim\sly approv$ & ratifi$ 9 #aiig1 x 
includ$ key fre$oms1 rights to          
p>ticipate 9 any position ( lead]%ip 9 !
 c\ntry & conditions necess>y = develop+
 a democratic political culture1 ! "r to
 vote1 ! gu>antee to actively p>ticipate
 9 all political life1 & ! "r to a fair1
 spe$y1 & public trial & due process (  
law2  ,:]eas1 despite ratification1 !   
,con/itution 0 nev] =mally implem5t$1 & 
s9ce indep5d5ce1 ,eritrea has yet to    
hold a national election1 rema9+ a      
"o-p>ty /ate rul$ by ,presid5t ,isaias  
,afw]ki )\t a function+ legislature1    
indep5d5t judici>y1 or free press2      
,:]eas ,presid5t ,afw]ki ex]cises de    
facto control ov] legislative functions1

 includ+ ! ,national ,assembly1 :i* has 
n met s9ce #bjjb2  ,:]eas1 s9ce         
indep5d5ce1 ,presid5t ,afw]ki's gov]nm5t
 has ma9ta9$ a highly repressive grip on
 society ?r\gh ! use ( arbitr>y         
det5tion1 mass surveillance1 & control (
 all religi\s & civic organizations2    
,:]eas1 9 #bjja1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,eritrea 
%ut d[n all indep5d5t press & arre/$ a  
gr\p ( high-rank+ =m] political lead]s  
:o call$ = democratic re=ms1 kn[n z !   
,g-#ae2  ,:]eas ! #bjaf ,unit$ ,nations 
,commission ( ,inquiry on ,human ,rights
 9 ,eritrea conclud$ t !re are          
reasonable gr\nds to believe t !        
,gov]nm5t ( ,eritrea _h committ$ crimes 
aga9/ humanity 9 a widespread &         
sy/ematic mann] aga9/ its own           
population1 includ+ imprisonm5t1        
enslavem5t1 en=c$ disappe>ance1         
p]secution1 & torture2  ,:]eas ! #bjai  
,,unhcr ,global ,tr5ds ,report rank$    
,eritrea among ! top #aj c\ntries (     
orig9 = refugees1 ) m ?an #ejj1jjj      
displac$ 9 "p due to political          

repression & sy/emic human rights       
abuses2  ,:]eas ! #bjbd ,report ( !     
,special ,rapporteur on ! ,situation (  
,human ,rights 9 ,eritrea m&at$ by !    
,unit$ ,nations ,human ,rights ,c\ncil  
f\nd ! human rights situation 9 ,eritrea
 rema9s dire1 ) no signs ( in/itutional 
or policy re=m1 z citiz5s are subject$  
to indef9ite national s]vice1 arbitr>y  
det5tion1 en=c$ disappe>ance1           
transnational repression1 & a deeply    
entr5*$ culture ( fe>2  ,:]eas          
,eritrea's ext5sive prison sy/em        
includes secret & un(ficial det5tion    
c5t]s :]e deta9ees are held indef9itely 
& (t5 )\t notification ( *>ges or access
 to legal repres5tation2  ,:]eas        
prison]s 9 ,eritrea are r\t9ely subject 
to inhumane & life-?reat5+ conditions1  
includ+--  7#a7 ov]cr[d$ & unsanit>y    
conditions1 includ+ 9 und]gr\nd bunk]s  
or %ipp+ conta9]s2  7#b7 extreme        
temp]atures2 &  7#c7 d5ial ( adequate   
food1 wat]1 & m$ical c>e2  ,:]eas       
,eritrea has consi/5tly refus$ to       

coop]ate ) ! ,unit$ ,nations ,special   
,rapporteur or all[ access = ! ,unit$   
,nations ,special ,rapporteur to conduct
 ov]sight on ! c\ntry's human rights    
conditions2  ,:]eas religi\s p]secution 
rema9s widespread 9 ,eritrea1 ) memb]s (
 fai?s n recogniz$ by ! gov]nm5t r\t9ely
 imprison$ & subject$ to torture & o!r  
cruel1 inhumane1 & degrad+ treatm5t =   
practic+ _! beliefs2  ,:]eas ,eritrea's 
national s]vice program 0 initially     
m&at$ to la/ #ah mon?s1 b has become    
indef9ite & compulsory 9 practice = a   
significant portion ( ! population1     
trapp+ ?\s&s ( y\?s into ye>s (         
effectively /ate-sponsor$ =c$ labor2    
,:]eas ! #bjbd & #bjbe ,report]s ,)\t   
,bord]s ,_w ,press ,fre$om ,index rank$ 
,eritrea la/ out ( #ahj c\ntries1       
describ+ ,eritrea z an in=mation des]t  
:]e no indep5d5t m$ia outlets exi/ &    
j\rnali/s face indef9ite det5tion )\t   
trial2 &  ,:]eas ,eritrea rema9s        
diplomatically isolat$ z a result ( its 
entr5*$ autocracy & refusal to engage 9 

human rights re=ms--an isolation t comes
 at a great co/ to ! ,eritrean p3 ,n[1  
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 condemns
 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,eritrea's sy/emic human 
rights violations & abuses1 :i* include 
arbitr>y & indef9ite det5tion1 religi\s 
p]secution1 & torture2  7#b7 calls on ! 
,gov]nm5t ( ,eritrea to-- 7,a7 release  
all unju/ly & arbitr>ily deta9$         
political prison]s2  7,b7 provide = !   
human rights & fundam5tal fre$oms call$ 
= 9 its ,con/itution2  7,c7 provide an  
opportunity = ! ,eritrean p to          
democratically *oose _! lead]s2 &  7,d7 
all[ ! ,unit$ ,nations ,special         
,rapporteur to access ! c\ntry2  7#c7   
/&s ) ! ,eritrean p 9 _! aspiration =   
democratic gov]nance1 dignity1 & fre$om2
 &  7#d7 welcomes ! prospect ( /rong]   
ties ) ,eritrea z ! c\ntry takes        
mean+ful /eps to op5 its political sy/em
 & advance human rights & fundam5tal    
fre$oms4