abuses and massacres of its people", saying it was ironic that Ethiopia could use the council to lobby for the adoption of the resolution against Eritrea. Since Eritrea's conflict with Ethiopia in 1998–2001, the nation's human rights record has come under criticism at the United Nations. Human rights violations are allegedly frequently committed by the government or on behalf of the government. Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association are limited. Those who practice "unregistered" religions, try to flee the nation, or escape military duty are arrested and put into prison. During the Struggle for Eritrean Independence, many atrocities were committed by the Ethiopian authorities against unarmed Eritrean civilians (men, women, and children). Roughly, 90,000 Eritrean civilians were killed by the Ethiopian military. During the 1998 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, the EPRDF government also deported and confiscated the private property of 77,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians. The majority of the 77,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin were considered well off by the Ethiopian standard of living. They were deported after their belongings had been confiscated. All Eritreans between the ages of 18–40 must complete a mandatory national service, which includes military service. Between 10,000 to 25,000 high-school students spend their 12th year of education in one of the countries national service camps, most notable of which is the camp near Sawa. This national service was implemented after Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia, as a precautionary means to be protected against any threats on Eritrea’s sovereignty, to instill national pride, and to create a disciplined populace. Eritrea’s national service requires lengthy, indefinite conscription periods, which some Eritreans leave the country in order to avoid. An August 2019 Human Rights Watch report claimed that the Eritrean secondary education forces students into indefinite military or government jobs and many flee from the country because of this. The organization described the Eritrean education system as a conscription machine that subjects students to systematic abuse, including torture, harsh working conditions and insufficient pay to support their families. In June 2022, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, issued a report critical of the deteriorating human rights situation in the country. Among the violations recorded, forced military conscription, arbitrary arrests, disappearances and torture were common. The report also involved Eritrea’s involvement in the armed conflict in Ethiopia. Eritrean refugees in Ethiopian camps have been kidnapped and forced to fight. Reforms Eritrean government