World urged to censure Eritrea for throttling freedom
September 17, 2007 (NAIROBI) — Democratic governments must condemn Eritrea for suppressing “all freedoms”, Reporters Without Borders said Monday, a day before the sixth anniversary of a crackdown that throttled free media.
The Paris-based RSF called on foreign powers to summon Eritrean ambassadors in their countries to condemn the situation in the tiny Red Sea state, rated by RSF as the world’s third-worst country for press freedom.
“Governments that believe in press freedom should make a formal protest about the complete secrecy surrounding Eritrea’s political prisoners,” RSF said in a statement.
“This anniversary must be used to show that press freedom and human rights are not a luxury reserved for a few prosperous nations but a universal right,” it added.
Eritrea ordered a wave of arrests and a media crackdown on September 18 2001 after prominent politicians and independence war veterans signed a petition calling for democracy in the East African country.
Since then, hundreds of government opponents have been held in unknown locations, including at least 12 journalists, the organisation added.
“Four of these journalists have already died in the 314 prison centres scattered throughout the country,” the statement said.
“Those who have not been arrested or who have not managed to flee the country are forced to live under the yoke of an all-powerful government.”
RSF last month said Eritrean journalist Johnny Hisabu had disappeared while attempting to flee the country, a month after his colleague Paulos Kidane died while trying to trek over the border to Sudan.
Leaving Eritrea without permission is dangerous, with guards reportedly operating a shoot-to-kill policy on those who try to slip across the border illegally.
Eritrean officials, who were not immediately available for comment, regularly dismiss such reports. The government denies the charges, accusing critics of lacking information to support their allegations.
The United States has placed Eritrea on its list of states that violate human rights, along with Iran and North Korea.
(AFP)