The Eritrean ‘Fourth Front’:  Festivals as a tool to control the diaspora

Riots broke out in The Hague on 17 February 2024. It is the latest in a string of clashes around the world involving pro-democracy and pro-government Eritreans. The latter group organises festivals, proclaimed to be cultural festivals, but which pro-democracy Eritreans state are in reality propaganda events; places were high-level Eritrean officials visit, where diaspora Eritreans go under pressure and threats, where military propaganda and hate speech are spread, and where Eritreans have to pay money to the Eritrean government. Now, a picture is emerging of a highly coordinated effort by the Eritrean government to control the diaspora, which it calls the ‘Fourth Front’, through militia-like structures, including Eri-Blood and Eri-Mekhete. 

Lawyers submit document to the ICC, calling for investigation of deaths linked to EU migration pushback

On Monday, 3 June 2019, a group of international lawyers submitted a legal document to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in which they call for open investigation of the EU migration policies that, according to lawyers, contributed to the death of thousands migrants crossing Mediterranean sea. This punitive action is directed against the EU and its’ member states that played important role during migration crisis, particularly Italy, Germany and France.