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<p>We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including the
arrests of religious figures such as Patriarch Abune Antonios who has been detained
for over 12 years. On 25 July 2019, we issued a tweet specifically calling attention
to his apparent excommunication and his ongoing detention. We also raised his case
in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2018 Annual Human Rights Report. There has
been no response from the Government of Eritrea.</p><p>The UK Government, along with
partners in the international community, have taken every opportunity to voice our
concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and have called for their
release. On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita
French, delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council
expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses. Although welcoming Eritrean
acceptance of Universal Periodic Review recommendations and offering UK assistance
in support of their implementation, she said that the UK would continue to press for
the release of arbitrarily detained individuals, and call for respect for freedom
of religion or belief, especially for worshippers of unregistered religions.</p><p>Our
Ambassador in Asmara raised arbitrary detentions of members of the Christian community
with the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 May 2019 and with the President's
senior adviser on 14 August 2019. During visits to Eritrea, the FCO's Head of East
Africa Department, in November 2019, and the Home Office International Director, in
February, both raised human rights issues with senior members of the Eritrean government.
Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting,
and we will continue to monitor the situation there.</p>
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