Rights watchdog says Eritrea becoming “giant prison”
April 16, 2009 (NEW YORK) – A Human rights group issued today a report criticizing extensively the Eritrean government for the large-scale of rights violations saying it transformed the country to a “giant prison.”
In a 95-page report, Human Rights Watch said policy of repression practiced by the government made the tiny state of the Read see one of the highest producers of refugees in the world and advised to not return the Eritrean refugees to their homeland.
“Eritrea’s government is turning the country into a giant prison,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Eritrea should immediately account for hundreds of ‘disappeared’ prisoners and open its jails to independent scrutiny.”
The New York based rights watchdog said the prisoners are detained for their political or religious beliefs. Asmara also detains and punishes those who tried to evade the indefinite national service or flee the country.
Last March the UN refugees agency (UNHCR) launched an appeal to the international community for more humanitarian aid to meet the growing arrivals of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia.
Over 30,000 Eritrean refugees are currently living in three refugee camps in northern Ethiopia. The average of the monthly arrival of the Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia has reached 900 people per month. Sudan also had launched last year similar calls.
Most refugees first flee to neighboring Ethiopia and Sudan, and then travel to Libya, Egypt, and Europe. Hundreds of Eritreans have been forcibly repatriated from Libya, Egypt and Malta in the past few years and have faced detention and torture upon their return.
Because of the risk of mistreatment faced by those who are returned, the UNHCR has advised against deporting anyone to Eritrea, including rejected asylum seekers. “Human Rights Watch called on all countries hosting Eritrean asylum seekers not to forcibly return them, given the risk of torture.”
Recently rights groups raised concerns after the EU approval of a €122 million assistance package to Eritrea. They said development projects in Eritrea are carried out by conscript or prison labor in violation of international law.
Ben-Fu
Rights watchdog says Eritrea becoming “giant prison”
No body is right enough to be call a rights group.
these group some time have their flaws and messages cause can more trouble by fooling so many idiots who are flowing with rumors.
Ezeyakum
Rights watchdog says Eritrea becoming “giant prison”
Liberation from what? Liberation for what?
Eritrean young men and women have paid a heavy price to end the suffering of their people from the most brutal and backward Ethiopian occupier.
It is clear that a country won’t recover overnight after liberation. But what has happened to the dream of transforming Eritrea to Honk Kong of Africa?
Turning against each other could be more distractive than occupation because under occupation the people are united to fight it but under self destruction the people will be divided and there is a big risk that Eritrea will turn to new Somalia.
Fearing the fear will make the leaders blind. Why the leader, who have well trained army about 150 000, scared of one person with only pen in hand?
why he has to be in jail for 2768 days without any trial?
don’t his three kids have the right to have a father?
If the western style democracy doesn’t fit a liberated country under recovery, the leaders shouldn’t have given licence to establish an independent media in first place.
I don’t think that the leader can mend their mistakes by jailing their own mistakes victims.
Those gallant leaders who have liberated the country have the absolute right to jail EU citizen for 48 hours and deport out of a country but beyond that jailing a three kid’s father for 66,432 hours is what any Eritrean or anybody is expecting from the liberators.
For the sake of the tears of three kids please release the 42 years old journalist and Eritrean in Europe proud of their leader’s compassion.
Ezeyakum
Rights watchdog says Eritrea becoming “giant prison”
Liberation from what? Liberation for what?
Eritrean young men and women have paid a heavy price to end the suffering of their people from the most brutal and backward Ethiopian occupier.
It is clear that a country won’t recover overnight after liberation. But what has happened to the dream of transforming Eritrea to Honk Kong of Africa?
Turning against each other could be more distractive than occupation because under occupation the people are united to fight it but under self destruction the people will be divided and there is a big risk that Eritrea will turn to new Somalia.
Fearing the fear will make the leaders blind. Why the leader, who have well trained army about 150 000, scared of one person with only pen in hand?
why he has to be in jail for 2768 days without any trial?
don’t his three kids have the right to have a father?
If the western style democracy doesn’t fit a liberated country under recovery, the leaders shouldn’t have given licence to establish an independent media in first place.
I don’t think that the leader can mend their mistakes by jailing their own mistakes victims.
Those gallant leaders who have liberated the country have the absolute right to jail EU citizen for 48 hours and deport out of a country but beyond that jailing a three kid’s father for 66,432 hours is NOT what any Eritrean or anybody is expecting from the liberators.
For the sake of the tears of three kids please release the 42 years old journalist and Eritrean in Europe proud of their leader’s compassion.