This week marks the 15th year since Eritrean authorities arrested a group ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists. They have not been charged or tried, their whereabouts and state of health are unknown.
According to the International Organization on Migration, over 290.000 arrivals have been counted in 2016, as opposed to over 350.000 during the same period in 2015. However, despite the declining number of arrivals, deaths on the route to Europe have gone up. 3,168 people are dead or missing as of 31 August 2016, compared to around 2800 that were recorded in 2015 around this time.
The Financial Newspaper in Norway posted an article on 2% tax that members of the Eritrean diaspora pay to Eritrea. Member of the Norwegian Parliament Bård Vegar Solhjell says that the tax cannot continue. He expects the Norwegian government to take action. The news comes after the Parliament in the Netherlands passed a motion to push for investigation of the tax in the Netherlands and other EU member states.