European parliament resolution on human rights violations in Eritrea

A. Worried by the continuing deterioration of human rights situation in the
county in general and by the arrest of thousands of people on suspicion of
evading military conscription held at Adi Abeto army prison in particular

B. Whereas the Eritrean security force have indiscriminately arrested
thousands of youth and others suspected of evading military conscription on
November 4 this year and fearing that the prisoners may risk torture and
ill-treatment,

C. Whereas national service for 18 months is compulsory for men and women
aged 18 to 40 years and since the war with Ethiopia in 1998 -2000, national
service has become full military service and it has been extended
indefinitely,

D. Deploring the continued detention of Eritrean opposition leaders
including 11 former members of government without trial since September
2001,

E. Deploring the ban on an independent press and the arrest of journalists
since the government crackdown on independent media in September 2001,
F. Whereas many young people have fled the country to escape from military
service and many people who were forceibly returned to Eritrea from Malta
and Libya were arrested, tortured and sent to a secret prison where most of
them are still detained incommunicado,

1. Condemns the human rights violation in Eritrea, in particular the
crackdown on independent journalists, opposition leaders including the 11
dissidents, former members of the government, the shut down of the
independent press,

2. Calls for an independent inquiries on the killing of Adi Abeto prison on
4 November 2004,

3. Calls on the Eritrean government to release all political prisoners
including the 11 dissidents, independent journalists and the youth and allow
them to have access to their lawyers and families,

4. Calls on the government to fully respect fundamental freedoms of the
population including freedom of expression, freedom of association including
the formation political parties and calls to lift the ban on independent
press,

5. Reiterates its demand for an inter-Eritrean national conference to be
held, bringing together the various political party leaders and
representatives of civil society with a view to finding a solution on the
current crisis and to setting the country on the path to democracy,
political pluralism and sustainable development,

6. Calls on the Commission to open the consultation procedure with the
government of Eritrea in accordance with art. 96 of the Cotonou agreement in
order to stop human rights violation to pave the way for a political
pluralism,

7. Instructs its president to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council,
the European Commission, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the
African Union and the government of Eritrea.