Eritrean authorities have arrested nine journalists who work for the country's independent press less than a week after ordering the indefinite shutdown of the country's eight independent newspapers, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Citing diplomatic sources, the report said a businessman and the president of the High Court had also been arrested. The BBC, meanwhile, quoted three other journalists as saying security officers had visited their homes while they were out, adding that they expected to be arrested shortly. A presidential spokesman said the arrests were probably a result of the journalists not having received permission to absent themselves from national service, but the BBC said that at least one of those arrested was exempt from national service. The arrests come less than a week after the Eritrean government arrested 11 former government officials who had been lobbying for political reform in Eritrea.
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