Eritrean EC- HRRP proclaims Sept 18 to be support of prisoners of conscience day

PROCLAMATION

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in Eritrea; and

Whereas: Torture constitutes an aggravated and deliberate form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and

Whereas: A person shall not be kept in detention without being given an effective opportunity to be heard promptly by a judicial or other authority ; and

Whereas: Hundreds of prisoners were serving long prison terms imposed after unfair trials by the Special Court of Eritrea or were detained pending trial by this exceptional court; and

Whereas: Thousands of government critics and opponents including Eritrean diplomats, civil servants, businesspeople, journalists, army and security personnel, local employees , Eritreans forcibly returned – remained in detention appeared to be prisoners of conscience ; and

Whereas: Eleven former government and ruling party leaders remained in detention as prisoners of conscience since their arrest in September 2001; and

Whereas: Many journalists of the private and state media remained in detention since 1991; and

Whereas: Many young male and female members of minority Christian churches, Qur’anic teachers and government schoolteachers arrested in Eritrea remained in secret detention and appeared to be prisoners of conscience; and

Whereas: Eritrean Community for Human Rights and Refugee protection and their partners together against torture aim to promote this special day of hope and honor to create awareness of the freedom of conscience and expression, scourge of torture; and

Whereas: It is the mission of the Eritrean Community for Human Rights and Refugee protection (EC-HRRP) to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights; and

Whereas: It is the mission of the EC- HRRP to provide comprehensive and coordinated legal aid and social services in order to help survivors of torture and related trauma heal from deep wounds and regain productive lives of leadership and contribution in our community; and

Whereas: The EC-HRRP condemns the use of torture and joins other Eritrean Human Right Advocates to focus local and National attention to end the atrocities committed against Eritrean prisoners and We call for an immediate and unconditional release of the Prisoners on the grounds that they are prisoners of conscience detained solely for the peaceful exercise of fundamental freedoms.

NOW, THEREFOR, WE, EC-HRRP, do hereby proclaim September 18th 2004, to be

And urge all the citizens of Eritrea to take cognizance of this event and Participate fittingly in its Observance.

– Given at the Executive Office of EC-HRRP, This Seventeenth
– Day of September, in the year of two thousand four,
– And the first Six Month Anniversary of the EC-HRRP

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