RSF calls on EU to link aid to release of journalists

The Paris-based media watchdog, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), has called on the EU development commissioner, who is currently visiting the Horn of Africa region, to link the resumption of economic aid to Eritrea to the release of 18 detained journalists. In a letter to Commissioner Poul Nielson, RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard is quoted as saying: "Knowing your commitment to human rights and press freedom, we hope you will raise this issue with the Eritrean authorities you meet. Our organisation in particular calls on the European Union to condition the resumption of economic aid to Eritrea on the release of the 18 journalists it has imprisoned, and the re-emergence of a free, privately-owned press in the country." The independent media were closed down after being accused of engaging in activities that "endangered national security and unity" in September 2001. An Eritrean official at the time told IRIN that the privately run newspapers had been "suspended temporarily", but would be allowed to resume publication "once they learn to abide by Eritrean press laws". The RSF letter went on to say that it was unacceptable for the authorities of a country, with full impunity, to simply deprive their people of the right to be informed. The letter noted that "Eritrea is today the only country in Africa, and one of the last in the world, without privately-owned news media". The letter also said that most other journalists had fled the country to seek refuge in Europe, North America and other parts of Africa, adding that the few foreign journalists in the country could not work freely. The 18 journalists had been in detention for a year and a half in undisclosed locations, and had not been brought to trial, RSF pointed out. It added that in March of last year, some of the detained journalists had gone on hunger strike in protest against their detention without charge.