Organized Crime in Eritrea: A Summary

Eritrea is a country plagued by organized crime, with the majority of criminal activity perpetrated by state and military actors. This summary highlights key aspects of Eritrea’s situation regarding organized crime.

Criminal Actors

• Organized crime in Eritrea is largely limited to:
  • State actors
  • Military actors
  • Individuals closely associated with them
• Diplomats have been involved in bribery and human trafficking

Leadership and Governance

• Eritrea is an authoritarian state controlled by President Isaias Afwerki, who has dismissed suggestions of political reform and has no regard for human rights and freedoms
• The government exerts total control over the economy and has not published reliable data on crime dynamics

Criminal Justice and Security

• Eritrea lacks:
  • Independent judiciary
  • National assembly
  • Democratic institutions
• This leads to a power vacuum where human rights violations persist
• There are no specialized units to counter organized crime, and prison conditions are harsh

Economic and Financial Environment

• Eritrea is at high risk of money laundering due to:
  • Cash-based economy
  • Informal money transfer systems
  • Lack of regulatory capacity

Civil Society and Social Protection

• The government has not identified, protected, or supported victims of trafficking
• There are no proactive victim identification mechanisms in place
• Non-governmental organizations are not permitted to operate in Eritrea
• Independent media outlets were closed down in 2001