Eritrea: Letter to President Isayas Afeworki

His Excellency Isayas Afworki
Office of the President

State of Eritrea
P. O. Box 257
Asmara, Eritrea
Fax: +291 11 25123
c/o Permanent Mission to the United Nations
E-mail: [email protected]

April 10, 2002

Your Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, a
non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect
freedom of expression around the world, to express our grave concern over
the
detention of 10 Eritrean journalists currently on a hunger strike.

According to our information, the journalists, arrested in the aftermath of
the
closure of all eight independent newspapers on September 18, 2001, are Yusuf
Mohamed Ali, Mattewos Habteab, Dawit Habtemichael, Medhanie Haile, Temesgen
Gebreyesus, Emanuel Asrat, Dawit Isaac, Fessehaye Yohannes, and Said
Abdulkader.
A freelance photographer, Seyum Tsehaye, has also joined the strike. All are
said to be refusing food and water until they are released or given fair
trials.

On April 3, they were reportedly taken from the police station where they
were
held, and nine were moved to undisclosed places of detention, where they are
at
grave risk of ill-treatment. Swedish citizen Dawit Isaac, who recently had
surgery, was taken to hospital.

Between them, these 10 journalists worked for all eight of Eritrea's
independent
newspapers, which were closed down when they were arrested. At the same
time, 11
prominent members of the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice
(PFDJ)
party, including three former Foreign Ministers, were arrested. They had
published an open letter to you in May 2001 calling for democratic reform
and
human-rights improvements. Their whereabouts have still not been disclosed,
and
in February 2002 you accused them of treason in the National Assembly. The
eight
independent newspapers had published interviews and commentaries on the
debate
developing from the open letter. Several other journalists have fled the
country
following these arrests.

CJFE is deeply concerned for the safety of the 10 journalists named above
while
they are held in secret detention. We call on authorities to say where they
are
held and allow them access to their families, legal representatives and
doctors
of their choosing. We would also ask for assurances that they not be
ill-treated
or force-fed to make them end their hunger strike. Furthermore and as a
matter
of urgency, these 10 journalists should be released immediately and
unconditionally.

Sincerely,

Joel Ruimy
Executive Director

cc:

Mrs Fouzia Hashem
Ministry of Justice
P. O. Box 241
Asmara, Eritrea
Fax: + 291 11 26422/26432

Brigadier-General Mussa Raba
Commissioner of Police
Ministry of Internal Affairs
P O Box 1223
Asmara, Eritrea
Fax: + 2911 122135

Mr Naizghi Kiflu
Minister of Information and Culture
Ministry of Information and Culture
P O Box 242
Asmara, Eritrea
Fax: +2911 124647