of the state (Article 259); impairment of the defense of the state (Article 260); and, high treason (Article 261). Besides these national laws, the perpetrators of the act also violated Articles 29(3), (4) and (5) of the ACHPR. The allegation that the eleven persons were “political prisoners” or “prisoners of conscience” detained for “having made a call in favor of reform and democratic election and greater respect for human rights” is factually unfounded and far from the truth. It is otherwise well known that expressing one‟s political opinion or belief is not a crime in Eritrea for any citizen. No Eritrean citizen is also imprisoned on account of what his/her political beliefs or expressions. The Eritrean Law recognizes and protects the rights of individuals to be free from discrimination and persecution on account of their gender, religion, ethnicity disability etc. 293. 294. The Government did not arbitrarily arrest the 11 persons. The National Assembly at its 14th Session, held from 29 January to 2nd February 2002, discussed a report concerning the nature of the criminal acts committed by these people. The National Assembly deplored the grave acts perpetrated by the detainees and mandated the Government to handle the matter appropriately. Subsequent developments that include a prolonged state of belligerency by Ethiopia, a state of no war no peace; and Ethiopia‟s pronounced policy of “regime change” have compounded the problem and made various options of resolving the issue difficult. (iii) Refugees hosted in Eritrea 295. Eritrea respects the principles enunciated in the 1951 Geneva Convention, the African Union Charter, and other related international and human right laws and instruments on the rights of refugees who fled conflict and violence. It is not a major recipient of refugees. Nevertheless, the Office for Refugee Affairs (ORA) of the Department of Immigration and Nationality is the office responsible for refugee matters. It is also responsible for a wide range of camp administrative matters including management, delivery of assistance, health care, water, and sanitation, and camp maintenance. UNHCR also cooperates with ORA on the issue of refugees to complement the government's efforts in providing funding and joint monitoring of their livelihood. There were 4,000 Somali and Sudanese refugees in 2010 of which some 30 % were children and around 48 % females. The GoSE, in collaboration with UNHCR, provides them with monthly food rations, water, health service and education. Monitoring and assessment missions are also conducted. E. Women Equality and Empowerment (i) Women Equality Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women 296. During the years of national liberation struggle, transformation that ensured the equality between sexes and forbids any discrimination occurred. Indeed the struggle would have Page 74 of 100