Dutch parliament demands closing of Eritrean embassy
21 Dec 2017

Dutch parliament demands closing of Eritrean embassy

by | posted in: EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Netherlands, The Netherlands | 0

In a debate in the Dutch parliament on Wednesday 20 December, a motion has been issued by parliament members to close the Eritrean embassy. The Dutch parliament and government have debated multiple times in the previous years over intimidation, threats, 2% diaspora tax and the role of the embassy and Eritrean government in the Eritrean diaspora community in the Netherlands. The recent report on the 2% diaspora tax in Europe has further fueled the concerns, and it is now supported by recordings from the Dutch radio programme Argos that show the coercion in action. 

News Highlights: Dutch Professor wins YPFDJ court case, Eritrea after Akria protest, EU discusses migration
14 Dec 2017

News Highlights: Dutch Professor wins YPFDJ court case, Eritrea after Akria protest, EU discusses migration

by | posted in: Africa, EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Politics, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Human Trafficking, Libya, Mediterranean Sea, Migration, The Netherlands, Torture, Weekly news highlights | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Dutch Professor wins Court appeal against ex-chair of Young PFDJ; a look at Eritrea’s Akria district one month after the protest; UK-Sudan trade deal raises concern; Ethiopian Government spying on diaspora activists through Israeli spyware; EU announces Horn of Africa funding of projects worth 174.4 million; Donald Tusk’s plan on migration described as ‘anti-European’ by EU Commission; EU Council to discuss on migration this week; November Frontex report analyses numbers; Amnesty International firmly opposing EU migration policy regarding Libya.

Eritrea: Professor wins Court appeal on statement about Eritrean youth organisation YPFDJ in radio programme
14 Dec 2017

Eritrea: Professor wins Court appeal on statement about Eritrean youth organisation YPFDJ in radio programme

by | posted in: EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, The Netherlands | 0

In 2015, Dutch Professor Mirjam van Reisen (Tilburg University, Leiden University) was interviewed by Dutch radio station BNR nieuwsradio about the news that people with ties to the Eritrean regime were employed as interpreters at the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). In response to her statements in this interview, the (by now former) chair of the YPFDJ in the Netherlands, the youth department of the Eritrean regime in the Netherlands, started a court case (interim injunction proceedings) against Van Reisen. She won the proceedings, upon which an appeal was started. The court has decided this week to dismiss the case and has ruled that the judge of the interim injuction proceedings had correctly dismissed all claims against Van Reisen.