ERITREA: journalist missing since july
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is deeply concerned at the news of the detention of Ezra Fessehaye, a journalist with the government-owned newspaper "Hadas Eritrea". According to PEN's sources, Fessehaye was arrested by security forces in July 2002 and has not been heard of since.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT - ERITREA
11 December 2002
Journalist detained
SOURCE: Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), International PEN, London
(WiPC/IFEX) - The WiPC of International PEN is deeply concerned at the news
of the detention of Ezra Fessehaye, a journalist with the government-owned
newspaper "Hadas Eritrea".
According to PEN's sources, Fessehaye was arrested by security forces in
July 2002 and has not been heard of since. The journalist, who analysed
international news for "Hadas Eritrea", was also the founder of a computer
design company named Juventus. He was apparently arrested on the grounds
that his company had been forging passes allowing Eritrean citizens to
travel around the country.
Freedom of movement in Eritrea is restricted to those holding
government-issued passes and a number of people were apprehended in July
with false passes. However, it is believed that the forgery charges are
being used as a pretext to detain Fessehaye.
Fessehaye's arrest brings to 24 the number of journalists known to be
detained or missing and presumed detained in Eritrea. Since 18 September
2001, no independent newspaper has been allowed to publish.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:
- urging the Eritrean authorities to acknowledge that they are holding
Fessehaye
- calling on them to allow Fessehaye access to a lawyer
- calling for Fessehaye to be released or charged with a recognisable
offence and granted reasonable bail terms
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency President Isaias Afeworki
C/o Permanent Mission to the United Nations
E-mail: [email protected]
[NB: This e-mail box is sometimes full and you may need to try several times
before your e-mail is accepted.]
Mr Foazia Hashim
Minister for Justice
P.O. Box 241
Asmara, Eritrea
Fax: +29 11 12 64 32
[NB: This fax machine is not always turned on.]
His Excellency Mr Ghrimai Gheeremariam
Embassy of the State of Eritrea
96 White Lion Street
London, United Kingdom
Fax: +44 20 7713 0161
Embassy of the State of Eritrea
15-17 Avenue de Wolvendael
1180 Brussels
Belgium
Fax: +32 2 372 0730
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
For further information, contact Dixe Wills at the WiPC, International PEN,
9/10 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AT, U.K., tel: +44
207 253 3226, fax: +44 207 253 5711, e-mail: [email protected], Internet:
http://www.oneworld.org/internatpen/
The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
WiPC. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
WiPC.
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