Eritrea’s Struggle with Organized Crime, Corruption, and Human Rights Violations

Criminal Justice and Security

The lack of an independent judiciary and democratic institutions has resulted in a climate of impunity. This environment is characterized by:

• Arbitrary arrest and detention: Common practices where individuals are arrested and detained without due process.
• Harsh prison conditions: Overcrowding, poor living conditions, and limited access to basic necessities like food, water, and medical care.
• Weak law enforcement capacity: The country’s inability to effectively combat organized crime, corruption, and other forms of criminal activity.

Economic and Financial Environment

Eritrea’s economic environment is vulnerable to:

• Money laundering: The lack of transparency in the informal economy makes it difficult to track financial transactions, facilitating money laundering activities.
• Underground remittance systems: The non-convertibility of the nakfa (the local currency) leads to the use of unofficial channels for sending and receiving money, contributing to organized crime.
• Corruption: Widespread bribery is reported as a major obstacle to effective law enforcement.

Civil Society and Social Protection

The country faces significant challenges in:

• Victim support mechanisms: The absence of adequate support systems for victims of trafficking and other crimes.
• Human rights violations: Routine disregard for fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, assembly, and association.
• Corruption: The pervasiveness of corruption hinders the effective functioning of civil society organizations.

Eritrea’s struggles with organized crime, corruption, and human rights violations are deeply entrenched in its law enforcement, economic environment, and social structures. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive approach that prioritizes transparency, accountability, and the protection of individual rights.