Emmanuel Asrat: Eritrea
Amanuel Asrat, chief Editor of Zemen,
was arrested in late September 2001 in Asmara. Mr. Asrat, along with
ten other journalists, is being held in a secret and unauthorized place
of detention. Each was arrested solely for the peaceful expression of
his political beliefs.
Amanuel is experiencing incommunicado detention, increasing the risk
that he is being denied the basic rights and protection of Eritrean
and international law. He is more likely to suffer torture or other
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including the potentially life-threatening
denial of essential medical treatment, without access to doctors of
his choice. Access may also be denied to his relatives and lawyers.
AI considers Mr. Asrat a prisoner of conscience and is calling for his
immediate and unconditional release. They are also asking that his whereabouts
be made known immediately.
News Update on Eritrea
Source: Reporters Without Borders, France
May 21, 2008
Naizghi Kiflu, the dictatorship’s eminence grise
Reporters Without Borders today released a report on the career of Naizghi Kiflu, an adviser to the president of one of the world’s most repressive countries and currently its local government minister, who as information minister supervised the round-ups of government opponents and pro-reform journalists in September 2001. According to a former ruling party member interviewed by Reporters Without Borders, Naizghi did the government’s “dirty work” for more than 30 years. Yet nowadays he lives in London, has a permit to reside indefinitely in Britain, and receives treatment for a chronic condition free of charge at a public hospital. The report explains that, as a result of an Eritrean human rights activist’s complaint, the British police have since 2005 been carrying out a politically-charged investigation into allegations that he was responsible for torture. But the evidence gathered so far has been deemed insufficient to take him to court. The report contains hitherto unpublished revelations by Naizghi’s victims and former subordinates. It also explains how the Eritrean government uses the country’s diaspora to maintain its control over the population. Reporters Without Borders believes that the fact that one of the regime’s barons and a key figure in its repressive system is living in Europe despite his continuing political activities raises questions for democratic governments that are supposed protect the political refugees to whom it grants asylum. The report concludes with recommendations for the European Union and countries with a sizable Eritrean exile population. Aside from demanding the release of political prisoners, Reporters Without Borders thinks the least that the EU and leading democracies can do is to refuse to issue visas to members of the Eritrean government and other leading Eritrean officials until the repression ends.
Tricia Redeker Hepner, Ph.D.
Eritrea Country Coordinator
Amnesty International, USA
Here are some websites for information on the state of Eritrea:
www.asmarino.com
OPPOSITION
www.awate.com
www.nharnet.com
GOVERNMENTS
www.dehai.org/
emdhr.civiblog.org
SEND
A LETTER
You Can Help!
Send this letter to the President of Eritrea, urging him to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Asrat. Download, Print and Mail to:
His
Excellency Issayas Afewerki
Office of the President
P.O. Box 257
Asmara, ERITREA
Download
Letter to the President
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