Detained journalists on hunger strike

Nine Eritrean journalists have gone on hunger strike to protest against their detention without charge for over six months, news organisations reported.

The Eritrean opposition Awate website said the nine, who were reporters, editors and publishers of Eritrea's private press, began their hunger strike on Sunday. The independent media were closed down by the government last September for activities that "endangered national security and unity". They were accused of carrying the opinions of government dissidents, 11 of whom are also in detention.

According to a BBC report, the journalists passed a message from inside their prison saying they were refusing food "to ensure their right to justice". Human rights organisations have condemned the arrests of the journalists without charge.

An Eritrean National Assembly session held in January addressed the issue of the private press and set up a commission to establish a "responsible" independent press, Eritrean sources told IRIN on Tuesday. The sources recalled that government had stressed the suspension was "temporary".

In a letter to a US newspaper recently, Eritrea's ambassador to the US, Girma Asmerom, reiterated that the private press had been "suspended for violating the press law".

"The government is taking appropriate measures to renew the revoked licenses and to issue new ones," he said. "The government's commitment to the growth of a free press is still in place and movement in that direction is on track."