242 Eritreans, along with 458 Somalis, are being held in the Dankuda detention camp in Biltaghy, Libya.  Some have been there for over a year.

Some of the detainees have organized a hunger strike to publicize their dire situation. 

The detainees are further victimized by Libyan military police who have been extorting 1,100 dinars per individual to facilitate their “escape” and then turning around and re-arresting them after they collect the money.

Those who refused to be mollified and desist from hunger strikes have been beaten with iron rods and sticks. 

On August 9th, all 700 of the detainees attempted a break out.  They were hunted down by the authorities; about 200 of them were captured (150 Somalis and 50 Eritreans.) The captured were beaten and even knived.  9 died (7 Somalis and 2 Eritreans) and 50 (30 Somalis and 20 Ertireans) were seriously injured.   The injuries are knife wounds and are not treated; it is likely that this will cause infections and further fatalities.

The Eritrean detainees include 9 small children and 54 women, of whom 4 are pregnant. 

A couple of the detainees were able to communicate by phone with Professor Bereket Habte Selasse, who is attempting to bring their predicament to the attention of the UN Commission for Human Rights.