Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of Christians in Eritrea, particular with regard to prolonged detention without trial; and what steps they are taking with international partners to seek the release of prisoners of conscience and to hold Eritrean authorities accountable for any violations of religious freedom under international law.

We consistently raise human rights with the Eritrean government, including religious freedoms. We advocate for the end of detentions based on religion or belief, as we have stated at the UN Human Rights Council. We call for all those unjustly incarcerated to be released. The UK's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea raised human rights during her most recent visit to Eritrea in April and the UK supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2024.