African Civil Society Organizations Call for Action on Eritrea

Embassy of Eritrea, Washington/Wikipedia

Forty African civil society and human rights organizations petitioned the African Union (AU) on 21 May 2013 to address the human rights situation in Eritrea.

In a statement titled "African Civil Society Call for Action on Human Rights Situation in Eritrea," the organizations asked the AU and its member states to:

• Encourage Eritrea to ensure the effective implementation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights concerning Eritrea
• Support the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea at the Human Rights Council in June 2013
• Ensure the protection of Eritrean refugees