According to a press release, International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a US embassy cable published by Wikileaks revealed human rights violations in Eritrea. Currently, according to ICC, there are more than 3,000 Christians imprisoned in Eritrea for practicing their faith. 

The leaked document, said the ICC statement, confirms years of ICC reports about the inhumane conditions of prisoners in Eritrea. "Prisoners were fed two pieces of bread three times a day. A bucket in the middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouth from thirst," a former prisoner told the United States embassy officials in Eritrea, according to the Wikileaks report.

He and another 600 prisoners were kept in a 40 by 38 foot cell. “It was not possible to lie down and barely possible to sit,” he said. His cellmates were “Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters, common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered denominations).”

The prisoner said he heard “the screams of people being tortured” and saw Eritrean security officials “bringing back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the holding room.” He witnessed Eritrean security officials “beating a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet.” In another instance, he observed “a man sitting with his arms tied and raised behind his back. His feet were tied together and a wooden pole was placed beneath his knees.”

For the full Wikileaks report on the prisoners, see :(http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/11/08ASMARA546.html).

Many of the imprisoned Christians are members of evangelical churches. Most of them are kept in underground dungeons, metal shipping containers and military barracks. Several have died in prison due to the torture and inhumane conditions.

 “The Wikileaks report sheds light on the plight of prisoners in Eritrea. It’s unconscionable for Eritrea to mistreat its own citizens in such horrible ways for peacefully exercising their religious freedom. We urge Eritrea to end such inhumane acts,” said Jonathan Racho, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa.

 

Source: Spero News

For the full Wikileaks report on the prisoners, please look below:

Viewing cable 08ASMARA546, ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF

SS E C R E T ASMARA 000546 

NOFORN 

SIPDIS 

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/ICI/CI, 

DS/IP/SPC/SO, DS/OPO/FLD, INR, AF/E, DRL, LONDON AND PARIS 

FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2028 

TAGS: ASEC ER PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF

SUBJECT: ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF

 XXXXXXXXXXXX

REF: ASMARA 509 

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d) 

¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On XXXXXXXXXXXX  was released after five months in jail. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX emotionally recounted his experience to the RSO, including his interrogation,

deplorable prison conditions, beatings, and  witnessing the torture

of other prisoners being held at the  XXXXXXXXXXXX facility.

 XXXXXXXXXXXX  kept a prison diary and gave  different,

 but similar, versions to the RSO and XXXXXXXXXXXX.

END SUMMARY. 

ARREST 

------ 

2 (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was assigned as a guard at the 

XXXXXXXXXXXX. On XXXXXXXXXXXX, police came to his 

residence around 6:00 a.m. and demanded to see  his  

demobilization card. Such intrusions are common in May 

during the run-up to Independence Day, as the government 

increases security and also rounds up national service 

evaders. The demobilization card is proof that an Eritrean 

has completed national service, and in theory, not subject to 

call-up or arrest for service evasion. As XXXXXXXXXXXX

 was pulling  out his demobilization card, the officials spotted

his  XXXXXXXXXXXX  ID and noted his Ethiopian last name. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX told RSO  he does not think the officials came

to his house because he  worked for the XXXXXXXXXXXX, but

were looking for suspicious  persons and arrested him after

seeing  his XXXXXXXXXXXX and last  name. XXXXXXXXXXXX

¶3. (S/NF) Police questioned XXXXXXXXXXXX at a downtown 

police  station for about four hours. They asked about his job 

XXXXXXXXXXX, his father's last name, how many 

XXXXXXXXXXXX, and how long he had worked there.

Later that  day, XXXXXXXXXXX was taken to the

 XXXXXXXXXXXX located  XXXXXXXXXXXX.. 

DETENTION AND INTERROGATION 

--------------------------- 

¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was placed in a cell approximately

40 feet x  38 feet with about 600 other prisoners. He stated the 

conditions were so cramped, it was not possible to lie down 

and barely possible to sit. He was held there for one month 

before being interrogated. He was interrogated on two 

separate occasions by members of the Eritrean National 

Security Organization (ENSO), including one nicknamed 

XXXXXXXXXXXX On both occasions the interrogator beat him.

The  interrogator asked him the following questions: 

¶A. What was his job title and responsibilities. 

¶B. Did he perform any other duties XXXXXXXXXXXX ,

and why does he work there. 

¶C. Which XXXXXXXXXXXX were spying for  XXXXXXXXXXXX 

¶D. XXXXXXXXXXX 

¶E. What were the religions of XXXXXXXXXXX. 

¶F. What activities occur at the XXXXXXXXXXXX, is 

it being used as a warehouse, and what is stored there. 

¶G. Who is the XXXXXXXXXXXX, what is his job, what 

activities does he  do at XXXXXXXXXXX, who does he 

meet with, and what parts of  Asmara does he frequent. 

¶H. They asked about, XXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX stated the ENSO personnel called him a "spy

XXXXXXXXXXXX during his interrogations. They stated they knew 

"everything that happens in the XXXXXXXXXXXX and that if 

he lied to them they would know XXXXXXXXXXXX stated he was

simply  a guard at XXXXXXXXXXXX. He stated his job was 

to provide security XXXXXXXXXXXX The interrogator

XXXXXXXXXXXX  later told XXXXXXXXXXXX he  must

come at least once a week to XXXXXXXXXXXX office in

Asmara and report all activities he observes at 

XXXXXXXXXXXX.

XXXXXXXXXXXX. 

PRISON CONDITIONS 

----------------- 

¶5. (S/NF) After the two interrogations, XXXXXXXXXXXX

wasnot  questioned again, but returned to the crowded holding

room.  Prisoners were fed 2 pieces of bread three times a day 

and  allowed to use the toilet twice a day. A bucket in the 

middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted 

bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated 

the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk 

due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of 

their mouths from thirst. XXXXXXXXXXXX said prisoners believed 

ENSO  had placed informers in the prison cell to gain additional 

information. Family members and friends are allowed to bring 

food to prisoners. One of XXXXXXXXXXXX friends smuggled

in a  notebook and pen with a tray of food, and he chronicled his 

experience in two versions, one for the RSO and another for 

the Ambassador. XXXXXXXXXXXX smuggled the diaries 

out also using  the food trays. 

WITNESS TO TORTURE 

------------------ 

¶6. (S/NF) The ENSO personnel regularly tortured prisoners 

imprisoned with XXXXXXXXXXXX. His cellmates were

Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters,

common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered 

denominations). XXXXXXXXXXXX stated they could hear the

screams of  people being tortured and he witnessed ENSO

staff bringing  back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the

holding  room. On one occasion, XXXXXXXXXXXX observed

ENSO officials beating  a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet.

Another time,  when XXXXXXXXXXXX was allowed out to use the bathroom,

he passed a shipping container and saw a man sitting with his arms tied  and raised

behind his back. His feetwere tied together and  a wooden pole was placed beneath

his knees. He saw head with a rubber hose and wooden sticks. XXXXXXXXXXXX said

ENSO later  moved the container to a more remote part of the Camp where

other prisoners could not observe the torture. 

CHILDREN NOT SPARED 

------------------- 

¶7. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that for a few days,

approximately 35  boys, aged 8-13, were confined with him. 

Asked why they were  arrested, the boys said they had crossed

into Ethiopia, but  Ethiopian soldiers caught them, and, after

 feeding them and  giving them new clothes, sent them back to

Eritrea, telling  them they were too young to cross by themselves.

Upon returning to Eritrea, the boys were arrested and taken to

XXXXXXXXXXXX, and later to another prison in

 XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXXsaid ENSO  personnel also

beat the boys And told the adult prisoners not  to talk to the boys or to each

other about why they were in prison or about their beatings. 

RELEASED AFTER FIVE MONTHS 

-------------------------- 

¶8. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was angry and nearly broke

 into tears a  number of times. He said although the physical

abuse and  deprivations took a toll on his body, it was the 

psychological abuse of being packed in with so many other 

people, of not knowing when the next beatings would come,

and  believing he could be killed, that was the most damaging. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX has probably been more candid about

his  experience than other XXXXXXXXXXXX who were

 incarcerated (reftel). 

¶9. (S/NF) , XXXXXXXXXXXX was freed, with no explanation

for his release or detention. ENSO personnel warned him

they  would kill him if he told anyone. XXXXXXXXXXXX

 of his detention and treatment. The ENSO personnel

refused to return his XXXXXXXXXXXX or his demobilization 

card.  XXXXXXXXXXXX believes,  XXXXXXXXXXXX, his arrest

occurred  because the ENSO  official saw  XXXXXXXXXXXX

and noticed  his father's  Ethiopian last name.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

MCMULLEN