Alexandria, VA, February 2, 2010 -- THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy endorses the call of the African Union General Assembly that United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against Eritrea become effective immediately.

A draft declaration by the assembly applauded UN Security Council Resolution 1907, which imposes sanctions on Eritrea. The resolution calls for an arms embargo, travel sanctions, and a freeze on the assets of political and military leaders.

Eritrea is recognized as one of the world's worst religious persecutors.  In its 2009 Report on International Religious Freedom, the United States Department of State said of Eritrea:

"The Government's record on religious freedom remained poor. The Government continued to harass and detain thousands of members of unapproved religious groups and retained substantial control over the four approved religious groups. The Government failed to approve religious groups that fulfilled the registration requirements and arrested persons during religious gatherings. The Government held religious prisoners in harsh conditions for long periods and without due process. There continued to be reports of forced recantations of faith and torture of religious detainees."

THE INSTITUTE applauds the African Union's call for the imposition of the UN sanctions, and calls on the AU to maintain its pressure on Eritrea to improve its human rights conditions.


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