This petition has been put before the Canadian parliament by Anita Vandenbeld MP for Ottawa West—Nepean. She has a long history of engagement with international issues.

Source: Canadian Parliament

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:

  • The Eritrean government, led by Isaias Afewerki, has perpetuated authoritarian rule for over three decades, neglecting the basic rights of Eritreans and ruling without any election or legitimate rule of law, resulting in a mass exodus of Eritreans;
  • In 2016, the UN Special Rapporteur stated that human rights violation committed in Eritrea by the regime may amount to crimes against humanity and the situation has only worsened since;
  • Numerous human rights organizations have documented severe violations in Eritrea, including torture, disappearances, and mass arrests of dissenters;
  • Canada had to expel head of the Consulate of Eritrea in Toronto in 2013 for coercing Eritrean-Canadians to pay an extortion tax;
  • The Eritrean regime has been accused of using festivals, often through its long-arms organizations based in the diaspora, to spread its propaganda and raise funds to finance its conflicts; and
  • Deeply concerned by the recent violences during events allegedly organized by regime-affiliated groups, including those in Toronto, Edmonton, Tel Aviv, Seattle, Giessen, and Stockholm among many others.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Investigate the Eritrean regime’s use of Canada-based organizations and churches for extortion from Eritrean-Canadians;

2. Deny entry visas to Eritrean artists and propagandists promoting hatred against pro-democracy Eritreans and promoting regime-sponsored violences;

3. Call upon IRCC, settlement organizations, and government entities to protect Eritrean newcomers and asylum seekers from potential regime spy interpreters;

4. Call upon settlement organizations to provide culturally appropriate services for newcomers from Eritrea, including to hire impartial individuals who speak an Eritrean language; and

5. Immediately initiate imposing Magnitsky sanctions on Eritrean regime officials.