Eritrea
In early 2026, Eritrea remains one of the world's most isolated and repressive states. Ruled by President Isaias Afwerki since independence in 1993, the country operates without a functioning constitution, a legislature (which hasn't met since 2010), or any independent media. The "total control" model is maintained through indefinite forced labor and a vast network of secret prisons.
1. Indefinite National Service and Forced Labor
The cornerstone of state control is the compulsory National Service, which legally should last 18 months but is applied indefinitely.
Open-Ended Conscription: In practice, most Eritreans remain conscripted for decades. In late 2025 and early 2026, the government intensified "round-ups" (giffa) in cities like Asmara and Keren to fill military ranks amidst rising regional tensions with Ethiopia.
Labor Exploitation: Conscripts are used as a source of cheap or free labor for state-owned enterprises, including construction and mining. This system has been repeatedly characterized by the UN as a form of modern-day slavery.
2. Arbitrary Detention and Secret Prisons
Eritrea is estimated to hold over 10,000 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience across 300+ detention sites, many of which are underground or composed of metal shipping containers.
The "G-11" and Journalists: The 11 senior officials and dozens of journalists arrested in September 2001 remain incommunicado. In 2026, their whereabouts and health status remain state secrets, though many are feared to have died in custody.
Shipping Container Conditions: Detainees at sites like Mai Serwa face extreme temperatures, lack of sanitation, and regular torture. However, in an unusual move in December 2025, the government released 13 long-term detainees who had been held for 18 years, a gesture observers speculate was a "PR reset" attempt.
3. Religious Persecution
The state recognizes only four religious groups (Sunni Islam, Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran). All other "unrecognized" faiths face severe persecution.
Conditional Releases: Between November 2025 and January 2026, approximately 177 Christians from proscribed churches were released. However, most were forced to sign documents "confessing" to a crime and renouncing their faith as a condition for bail.
Targeting Recognized Clergy: Even sanctioned faiths are not safe; in July 2025, several respected Muslim clerics and Orthodox monks were detained for allegedly refusing to incorporate state propaganda into their religious teachings.
4. Transnational Repression
In 2026, the Eritrean government has expanded its efforts to silence the diaspora, leading to "civil war-like" conditions in European and North American cities.
Diaspora Tax and Intimidation: The government continues to demand a 2% "reconstruction tax" from Eritreans abroad, using threats against their families back home as leverage.
Clashes Abroad: Violent confrontations between pro-government groups (supported by Eritrean embassies) and "Brigade N’Hamedu" (opposition activists) have escalated in 2025/2026, particularly in Germany and Sweden, resulting in dozens of arrests and several deaths.
5. Involvement in Regional Conflict
Eritrean forces continue to play a destabilizing role in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopian Occupation: Despite the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, Eritrean troops still occupy parts of Ethiopia's Tigray region in early 2026. Reports continue to surface of sexual violence, pillaging, and the kidnapping of Eritrean refugees who had sought safety in Ethiopia.
Sudan Crisis: Eritrean authorities have been accused of arming specific factions in the ongoing Sudanese civil war, further complicating the humanitarian disaster for the hundreds of thousands of Eritrean refugees trapped in Sudan.