Beyene Gerezgiher, spokesman for the Eritrean opposition movement, Bright Future is setting off for a trip to North America.

Ahead of the tour he explained what he was attempting to do. “The main aim is to mobilise our community and share our experiences in Europe over the past two years.”

Bright Future’s aim, working with other movements like Brigade N’Hamedu, is to change the Eritrean regime, he said.

It has been a tough year for the Eritrean diaspora, with clashes on the streets between those who back the regime (including the ruling party, the PFDJ, and Eritrean embassies staff) and pro-democracy supporters.

These have taken place from Tel Aviv to Stockholm, from London to Zurich and from Toronto to Seattle.

Beyane warns of the complex ways in which the regime persecutes its own people abroad, just as it does back home. “In Eritrea our people are fearful; abroad they feel the regime’s long arm,” he said in an interview.

This issue was highlighted in a report for the Norwegian government which described the influence of the Eritrean regime as “transnational repression”.

“Acts covered by the concept of transnational repression can be grouped into the following main categories:

1) Violence and other attacks against the physical safety of persons

2) Threats

3) Harassment and discrediting

4) Infiltration

5) Restriction or conditional consular services

6) Monitoring

7) Weakening and abuse of international frameworks

Transnational oppression can thus be expressed in many different ways and in different arenas of society. A wide range of different acts and means are used, and these can be subject to a number of different criminal offences.”

Alexander Dukalskis, Saipira Furstenberg, Yana Gorokhovskaia, John Heathershaw, Edward Lemon & Nate Schenkkan (2022) Transnational repression: data advances, comparisons, and challenges, Political Research Exchange, 4:1, DOI: 10.1080/2474736X.2022.2104651

Beyene Gerezgiher’s trip will take him to cities across North America.

Bright Future was founded 8 years ago and works with Brigade N’Hamedu, which sprang up after a tour by the pro-government Eritrean performer, Awel Said in 2022.

His events – which were highly militaristic – infuriated young Eritreans who had fled to escape the regime, with its endless military conscription and pervasive jails. In response, Brigade N’Hamdedu was founded.

Both the Brigade and Bright Future have declared their determination to remove the dictatorship of President Isaias and establish a democratic Eritrea.