June 8, 2015
Eritrea ruled by fear, not law, UN says
Eritreans account for the second-largest group of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, after Syrians, with an estimated 5,000 fleeing every month.
How many Eritreans really leave the country every month?
Eritreans account for a significant portion of the Mediterranean refugee crisis. According to the U.N., “overall, it is estimated that 5,000 people leave Eritrea each month, mainly to neighbouring countries.”
But is this number accurate? There's good reason for skepticism. The U.N. has not published specific sources for its statistics on Eritrean refugees. Yet, dozens of international news outlets have repeated the assertion.
This chart shows how the claim was repeated in the months following the U.N.’s Commission of Inquiry Report, often without attribution.
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