Rights group says Eritrea detains 10,000 political prisoners
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
May 10, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – Human rights group, Amnesty International, on Thursday criticised Eritrea over the allegation that it is arresting thousands of people for political reasons.
The report said Eritrea’s harsh prison facilities remain packed with thousands of political prisoners arrested indefinitely without any charges or trial.
Amnesty said President Isaias Afeworki’s hardline regime in Asmara has currently imprisoned at least 10,000 political prisoners, many in “unimaginably atrocious conditions” describing the East African nation as one of the most repressive, secretive and inaccessible countries in the world.
“The government has systematically used arbitrary arrest and detention without charge to crush all opposition, to silence all dissent, and to punish anyone who refuses to comply with the repressive restrictions it places on people’s lives”, said Claire Beston, Amnesty International’s Eritrea researcher.
Some of those imprisoned are suspected dissidents, journalists, politicians, those caught while trying to flee the country or avoid conscription into the army and “anyone who refuses to comply with the repressive system”.
Eritrean authorities have reportedly arrested over 180 people since January when some 200 mutinous soldiers stormed the Ministry of Information in Asmara and demanded the release of all political prisoners across the nation.
Two decades after it gained independence, Eritrea is a country in which human rights are systematically violated, a country with no independent media, no opposition political parties, or any civil society.
The Eritrean government recognises only four religions and anyone who is member of an unregistered religion will be arrested if found to be performing any religious activities, such as preaching.
ERITREA REACTION
The Eritrean government has immediately rejected the “wild accusations” in Amnesty’s latest report.
In a statement, the Eritrea’s foreign ministry said it “rejects in the clearest of terms” that it had jailed thousands of dissidents and activists.
“The sordid picture it paints resembles little to the reality” said the ministry.
The Eritrean government has in the past repeatedly dismissed international criticism of its human rights record.
In the latest report, Amnesty International called on Afewerki to immediately release all prisoners of conscience arrested for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression, opinion, association, religion or belief, or their identity as family members of people who have fled the country.
OPPOSITION RENEWS CALLS
An Eritrean opposition group on Friday called on the international community to look into the “gross” human rights violations being committed by the regime against innocent Eritreans particularly against ethnic minorities groups of Afar and Kunama.
The Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) said human rights situation in Eritrea have increasingly deteriorated with no sign of improvement since Afewerki assumed power in 1991.
In an interview with Sudan Tribune, an opposition official accused the international community of turning its back on addressing the human rights situations in Eritrea.
“Despite our repeated calls, the international community has failed to take actions” Nessredin Ahmed who is in charge of the group’s foreign affairs told Sudan Tribune.
“We renew our calls on the international community to put pressure and intervene in the release of all political prisoners in Eritrea”, he said, further calling for the arrest of Eritrean officials responsible for the long-standing atrocities in the country.
“Eritrean government and Military officials have for years committed brutal and inhuman crimes against thousands of Eritreans and must be brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Justice”, said Ahmed.
The opposition group said it strongly opposes a lifting of any of the sanctions imposed against the country citing attempts by some pro-Eritrea bodies who are seeking for their partial removal.
“Lifting any sanctions would mean encouraging the terrorist government to intensify its ill activities inside Eritrea and across the region”, Ahmed added.
The Eritrean opposition official further said the number of Eritrean political prisoners is far larger from the figure released by Amnesty.
He further alleged that dozens of members of the Army and journalists were detained this week.
(ST)