The United Nations Human Rights Council decisively rejected Eritrea’s bid on Friday.
The nation sought to terminate the mandate of a U.N. expert.
This expert investigates alleged human rights abuses within the country.
This rare attempt by a scrutinized state worried Western diplomats.
They feared setting a dangerous precedent, allowing states to evade international oversight.
The outcome offered considerable relief to these concerns.
Eritrea’s motion failed dramatically, with only four votes in favor.
Twenty-five nations opposed the move, and eighteen abstained from voting.
This clear defeat highlighted international sentiment against ending scrutiny.
Subsequently, a counter-motion from the European Union easily passed.
This vote comfortably extended the expert’s critical mandate for another year.
The decision reinforces commitment to human rights accountability.
UN expert Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker recently detailed a critical situation.
His report cited pervasive arbitrary detentions and extensive military service.
These dire conditions are fueling significant migration from Eritrea.
African rights group DefendDefenders lauded the mandate extension.
They emphasized the expert’s vital role for victims and the Eritrean diaspora.
This work offers a beacon of hope and advocacy.
The European Union’s delegate warned against allowing “impunity and repression to deepen in silence.”
Conversely, Eritrea’s representative, Habtom Zerai Ghirmai, decried a “neo-colonial saviour mentality.”
He called the mandate’s extension an “affront to reason and justice.”
Supporters of Eritrea’s rejected motion included Iran, Sudan, and Russia.
China also voiced support, deeming such investigative mandates a waste of valuable resources.