Statement at the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
By Hussen Hubadin Zamzame
GENEVA | Switzerland| 6 July 2026 (IDN)
Good afternoon
Excellencies distinguished delegates colleagues and friends
My name is Hussen and I am a human rights journalist.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today on the sidelines of the Sixty Second Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Today I would like to speak about Eritrean refugees and why international protection is still needed
During World Refugee Week we do not celebrate being refugees We remember that millions of people around the world have been forced to leave their homes in search of safety dignity and hope.
For Eritreans becoming a refugee was not a choice It was the result of years of serious human rights violations including arbitrary detention enforced disappearance the absence of the rule of law indefinite national service and restrictions on freedom of expression freedom of religion and freedom of the press
Because of these conditions thousands of Eritreans continue to leave their country every year.
But leaving Eritrea does not end their suffering.
Many refugees continue to face detention limited access to education healthcare and employment as well as the risks of human trafficking exploitation and violence Many spend years in refugee camps or live in uncertainty while waiting for a safe future. It is also important not to confuse love for ones country with support for the government.
Many Eritreans who left their country still love Eritrea They remain proud of their culture history and identity Some take part in national or cultural events because of that connection not because they support the government.
Unfortunately these events are sometimes used to suggest that the reasons for seeking asylum no longer exist or that Eritreans left only for economic reasons. The reality is different.
Loving your country does not erase the human rights violations that forced people to leave Attending a cultural event or making a short visit does not mean a person can safely return to live in Eritrea with freedom dignity and security.
Many Eritreans visit their country only after receiving citizenship permanent residence or legal protection in another country. That protection was not available to them inside Eritrea Permanent return is still not safe for many because the conditions that forced them to flee have not changed. For this reason refugee protection should never be judged by attendance at a national celebration or a cultural event.
The real question is simple.
Can that person return home and live freely safely and without fear of arrest persecution or other serious human rights violations?
If the answer is no then international protection is still necessary.
During this session the Eritrean Minister of Foreign Affairs said that it is time to end the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea and open a new chapter with the international community.
If that is true then there are some important questions that deserve clear answers.
Has the fate of thousands of disappeared people finally been revealed?
Have political prisoners journalists and prisoners of conscience been released?
Is the judiciary now independent?
Has indefinite national service ended?
Can Eritrean citizens freely express their opinions practise their religion and establish independent media without fear?
Ending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur cannot be achieved through political statements.
It can only happen by addressing the reasons why the mandate was created in the first place.
The participation of some Eritreans in national celebrations or temporary visits to Eritrea is not legal evidence that the human rights situation has improved.
Claims that the mandate has harmed investment or tourism also do not answer the most important question. Have the human rights violations documented by the United Nations over many years really ended. Sustainable investment and international confidence are built through the rule of law an independent judiciary and respect for human rights not by ending international scrutiny.
If the Eritrean government believes that the Special Rapporteurs mandate is no longer needed then the best way to prove this is to allow independent international mechanisms to verify real reforms and to cooperate fully with them. It is also normal for the Eritrean government to meet diplomats during sessions of the Human Rights Council to explain its position and seek support Just as it is normal for human rights organisations and representatives of victims to meet diplomatic missions and present documented information and reports.
These meetings are part of normal diplomacy.
They do not mean that any country has already made its decision.
The final decision belongs to the Member States of the Human Rights Council based on facts evidence and international law.
The best way to convince the international community is not to ask for the mandate to end. It is to take real action.
Release political prisoners
Reveal the fate of those who disappeared
Guarantee judicial independence
Respect freedom of expression freedom of religion and press freedom
End indefinite national service
Allow independent national institutions to operate freely
When these reforms become real and can be independently verified there will no longer be a need for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur because its purpose is to respond to continuing human rights violations not to target Eritrea.
The real solution to the suffering of Eritrean refugees begins inside Eritrea.
It begins when every citizen can live with freedom dignity justice and security.
Until that day the international community still has a responsibility to protect refugees and to support their education healthcare employment and integration.
Refugees are not numbers in reports.
They are human beings with rights experiences hopes and dreams.
Defending refugees is not an act of charity.
It is a commitment to human rights dignity and justice.
Ending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur will not change the reality on the ground.
It will not reveal the fate of the disappeared.
It will not free those who remain in prison.
It will not bring justice to the victims.
A new chapter does not begin by ending international scrutiny.
A new chapter begins by respecting the rights dignity and humanity of the Eritrean people.
Thank you
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