Expert Witness Insights: Week 3 — Key Country Analysis

Last updated: 16 September 2026

Photo: AuthaGraph World Map - Dennis Sylvester Hurd

This edition of expert witness weekly insights covers Week 3 of April 2026. Moreover, this digest focuses on three priority countries and key cross-country developments that matter for asylum lawyers. Eritrea, Georgia, and Peru all saw important shifts this week. In addition, Afghanistan and Somalia continue to generate new country conditions evidence. Our experts track these changes daily to keep asylum case reports up to date. For more background, see the full asylum guide collection.[1]

Asylum cases depend on current evidence. Therefore, week-by-week tracking helps lawyers spot new risks and relocation gaps. This week's updates touch indefinite conscription, protest crackdowns, disability services, and armed group offensives. Each section below points to the practical impact for live cases.

Eritrea: Indefinite Conscription and Diaspora Tax

Eritrea remains one of the most restrictive states in the world. This week, experts confirm that the system of open-ended national service is still in force. Men and women called up into the army or civil service have no fixed end date. Many remain in service for more than ten years. Low pay, harsh conditions, and physical punishment are routine.[2]

The withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Tigray in late 2023 did not change the internal system. Soldiers returning from Tigray re-entered the same open-ended service. As a result, asylum claims based on draft evasion or desertion remain strong. UNHCR's 2024 guidance still applies: people who leave service face prison, torture, and sometimes death on return.

2 per cent diaspora tax enforcement

The government also continues to enforce its 2 per cent "recovery and rehabilitation tax" on Eritreans abroad. This week, embassies in Europe and the US kept asking diaspora members to sign a "regret form" and pay the tax. Refusal blocks access to passports, birth certificates, and property. Many diaspora members face pressure through family members still in Eritrea.

For asylum lawyers, the takeaway is clear. Expert reports should address both conscription risk and diaspora tax pressure. Both link to political opinion under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Georgia: Foreign Agents Law and LGBTQ+ Crackdown

Georgia continues to face a political crisis. The "foreign agents" law passed in 2024 is now in full effect. Media groups, NGOs, and human rights defenders must register if more than 20 per cent of their funding comes from abroad. Failure leads to fines and possible closure.[3]

This week, Georgian courts fined three further NGOs for late registration. Protest leaders from the 2024 mass demonstrations still face trial. Several have left the country and filed asylum claims in the EU, UK, and Canada. Reports of ill-treatment in police custody continue. Lawyers should treat protest leaders, journalists, and activists as higher risk profiles.

Anti-LGBTQ+ law enforcement

The 2024 law "On Family Values and the Protection of Minors" bans same-sex unions and limits public expression of LGBTQ+ identity. This week, local authorities in Tbilisi and Batumi cancelled cultural events that featured LGBTQ+ themes. Two small NGOs providing HIV and mental health services for gay men faced inspections. Return risk for openly LGBTQ+ Georgians remains high. Internal relocation is not viable because the law applies across the whole country.

Peru: Disability Services and Rural Access

Peru rarely features in weekly digests. However, new data on disability services matters for a growing number of family asylum claims. The Ministry of Health released updated figures this week on rural access to disability services. The gap between urban and rural areas is still wide.[4]

In rural regions such as Cajamarca, Huancavelica, and Puno, fewer than 15 per cent of children with severe disabilities receive specialist care. Waiting times for basic assessments exceed 18 months. Transport and language barriers (for Quechua and Aymara speakers) make access even harder. For asylum lawyers handling cases based on the AM (Zimbabwe) line of authority or the cumulative-harm test, this evidence is useful. A family returning to rural Peru with a disabled child often faces a real gap in support. For wider context, see country reports.

Cross-Country Developments

Several cross-country trends stand out this week. First, domestic violence (DV) enforcement remains weak in many countries. Second, the Taliban continue to enforce the Virtue and Vice Law in Afghanistan. Third, Al-Shabaab has launched a fresh offensive in central Somalia.[5]

Domestic violence enforcement

GREVIO, the Council of Europe body on violence against women, published new findings this week on Albania, Moldova, and Georgia. Enforcement of protection orders remains patchy. Rural areas often lack police training. Shelters are full or absent. These findings support DV-based asylum claims from the region.

Afghanistan Virtue and Vice Law

The Taliban's August 2024 Virtue and Vice Law is now in its second year of enforcement. Reports this week describe morality police patrols in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif. Women face beatings for not wearing the face covering. Men face fines for short beards. Expert reports for Afghan claims must still treat women and girls as a particular social group at heightened risk.

Somalia Al-Shabaab offensive

Al-Shabaab launched new attacks on government positions in Hirshabelle and Galmudug this week. Civilian casualties are rising. Internal displacement is up. Internal relocation to Mogadishu remains risky because of urban attacks. The MOJ and others (Return to Mogadishu) Somalia country guidance still forms the core UK framework.

Week 3 Key Updates: Country Summary

The table below brings together the main updates by country. Lawyers can use it to check which issues matter for each live case.[6]

Country of origin information must be up to date, reliable, and relevant to the specific risk profile of the applicant. Weekly monitoring ensures that changes on the ground reach the courtroom without delay.
UNHCR, Handbook and Guidelines on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status (2019), para 42

Practical Takeaways for Asylum Lawyers

This week's updates translate into clear action points for practice. First, refresh any Eritrea reports older than 6 months to reflect current conscription findings. Second, treat Georgia opposition activists and LGBTQ+ claimants as high-priority for updated country evidence. Third, explore cumulative-harm arguments in Peru family cases with disabled children.[7]

• Check expert report dates: Aim for reports no older than 3 to 6 months.
• Use specific sources: UNHCR position notes, HRW, Amnesty, Freedom House, RSF.
• Address relocation: Judges expect a clear answer on whether internal flight is viable.
• Link country evidence to individual profile: Age, gender, religion, political history.
• Plan for cross-examination: Brief the expert on likely government challenges.

How to Request an Expert Report

An updated expert report can make the difference between refusal and grant. The process is simple, but early requests help. Most experts need 3 to 6 weeks to produce a full report.[8]

1. Initial contact: Use the find expert witness service to match your case with a country specialist.
2. Instructions: Send a clear letter of instruction with the case facts, questions, and deadline.
3. Documents: Provide the asylum claim bundle, interview records, and any prior evidence.
4. Draft review: Read the draft, flag gaps, and ask for revisions.
5. Final report: Disclose to the Home Office or court before the hearing.

Conclusion

Week 3 of April 2026 brings fresh evidence on Eritrea, Georgia, and Peru, plus cross-country updates on Afghanistan, Somalia, and DV enforcement. For asylum lawyers, the message is clear: keep country evidence current, match it to the client profile, and instruct experts early. The human rights landscape shifts week by week. Good expert evidence tracks those shifts and reaches the tribunal in time. Next week's digest will cover Russia, Iran, and post-election developments in Central Asia.