The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of the parliamentarians listed above, former members of the Parliament of Eritrea, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/181/11(a)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 180th session (May 2007),

Recalling the decision adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights on this case at its 34th session, finding the State of Eritrea to be in breach of several fundamental rights enshrined in the African Convention on Human and Peoples' Rights, to which Eritrea is a party, and calling for their immediate release and compensation for their arbitrary detention,

Noting that is has not been informed of any new developments and that the case is at a standstill,

1. Condemns the prolonged inhumane incommunicado detention of the former parliamentarians concerned in flagrant breach of their fundamental rights under the Constitution of Eritrea and under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, to which Eritrea is a party;

2. Is appalled by the total lack of interest from the Eritrean authorities in addressing these concerns, even minimally by providing information on the detainees' whereabouts and health to appease the suffering of their family members; and reaffirms that no argument whatsoever can justify the violations in this case, and once again urges the authorities to put an end to this egregious situation by releasing the former parliamentarians concerned forthwith;

3. Is convinced that the worldwide parliamentary community, in particular those parliaments from countries of the region and with privileged links with Eritrea, can play an important role in pressing for their release; appeals once again to these parliaments and the authorities of the African Union, the African Parliamentary Union and the Pan-African Parliament to do everything in their power to reach this objective and thus to ensure compliance with the decision of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in this case;

4. Maintains its wish to conduct an on-site visit since it remains convinced that such a visit would help settle this case;

5. Requests the Secretary General to take any action which may be conducive to progress in this case;

6. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 118th Assembly of the IPU (Cape Town, April 2008).

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