The European Union has extended sanctions on Eritrea. These sanctions were imposed on December 8, 2021 on Eritrean Intelligence Agency. The EU sanctions were announced at a time when war between TPLF and Federal government was ongoing and Eritrean government had sent its soldiers to fight against Tigray People Liberation Front.
European Union said back then that serious human right abuses were being committed in Eritrea. Forced disappearances and illegal detentions were prevalent. Eritrea strongly condemned the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions against it three years ago.
This week, European Union extended sanctions on Abraha Kassa, Eritrean intelligence agency chief.
“The Eritrean government’s national security forces, led by General Abrha Kassa, are responsible for serious human rights violations,” the EU said. “Unlawful arrests, illegal kidnappings, abductions and torture are being committed by Eritrean Intelligence Agency members,” the council alleges.
The Eritrean embassy in the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg criticized the extension of the sanctions as “unjustified hostility against Eritrea” . The embassy issued a statement on Monday.
The embassy said that the European Union imposed sanctions to achieve “geopolitical objectives in the Horn of Africa” and dismissed them as “false allegations based on wrong legal procedures”.
Eritrea has been under sanctions by EU and US for years. Eritrea accuses EU and US of backing TPLF and other rivals of Eritrea. In February this year, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki attended Italy-Africa summit in Italy. It was being hoped that it could be start of a new era of friendly relations between Europe and Eritrea.
Eritrean President is a staunch opponent of western and American influence in Africa. He has been urging Russia and China to establish a new world order.
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