Imprisoned Journalists in Eritrea
In 2001, there was a major crackdown on
dissent in Eritrea , with the detention of scores of government critics
and journalists who are held without charge in unknown locations. Amnesty
International considers these journalists to be Prisoners of Conscience.
These journalists have been detained
incommunicado without charge or trial since late September 2001, when the
private newspapers they work for were shut down by the government on 18
September 2002. Ten of these journalists were detained because they had
published articles critical of the government. Five others journalists
were detained on separate occasions in 2000 and 2002 in connection with
their work as journalists for the private or government media. AI
considers them prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely because of their
legitimate work as journalists, and calls for their immediate and
unconditional release.
Due to harsh conditions of detention in
Eritrea and being held in a secret and unauthorised place of detention, AI
is extremely worried about the safety of the detainees. On 31 March 2002
the 10 journalists arrested in late September 2002 began a hunger strike,
demanding a fair trial before an independent court. Three days later they
were taken from the police station where they were being held, and nine
were moved to undisclosed places of detention. Dawit Isaac was reportedly
taken to hospital to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress, but his
current whereabouts are unknown. The fact these 10 journalists are being
held in secret makes it possible they are being denied essential medical
care, without access to doctors of their choice. They are not held in any
of Eritrea’s official prisons or police stations and may be held in the
same place as the 'G15' detainees and others. The other five people
featured in this Action File are also held in secret detention. |
Featured Case
Mattewos Habteab
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Case Details :
| Name |
Mattewos Habteab
|
| Age |
35 |
| Sex |
Male |
| Arrested
|
Late September 2001, Asmara
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| Health |
Current condition unknown
|
| Former Roles
|
Editor, Meqaleh (Echo), a
maths graduate from the university of Asmara
| |
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Mattewos Habteab founded Meqaleh
in 1998 with Dawit Habtemichael, and Yehdego Ghebremedhin,
whose whereabouts are unknown but is believed to be doing military
service.
Mattewos was editor of Meqaleh
until June 2000, when he was called up for military service,
possibly because of his work as a journalist. A year later he
returned to his job in Asmara , but was arrested and taken to the
'Track B' military prison in Asmara where he was secretly held for
approximately six weeks. A few weeks after his release he was
arrested again in late September as part of the Government's
clamp-down on the independent press. He has been held incommunicado
at an undisclosed location ever since. |
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