Rights groups call for release of political prisoners

Two international human rights organizations called on the Eritrean government on Wednesday to release all political prisoners, almost two years to the day after a crackdown against dissidents and journalists in the African nation. A group of 11 prominent dissidents, who had publicly criticised President Isayas Afewerki and questioned the development of democracy in the country, were detained in 18 September 2001. They included the former number two [de facto vice-president], Mahmoud Sherifo, and former foreign minister Petros Solomon. A wave of arrests of independent journalists followed, along with the closure of all private newspapers in the country. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), "in the two years since, the government has arrested scores more, either because of their ties to the dissidents or their perceived political views". Amnesty International said the Eritrean government had refused to say where the detainees were being held and appealed to the government to allow their families to see them. HRW noted that Eritrea's practice of arbitrary arrests and detentions had not been limited to politicians and journalists. It said religious minorities, such as members of the Pentecostal churches and Jehovah's Witnesses, were also frequently arrested for practising their faiths. Peter Takirambudde, HRW's Africa divison director, said "Eritreans, who struggled valiantly to become free and independent, deserve to have their human rights respected". "The widespread and continuing arrests of prisoners of conscience, including peaceful political critics and members of religious groups, and their unlawful secret detention without charge, demonstrate a pattern of general disregard for the rule of law, the Bill of Rights in the Constitution adopted in 1997, as well as the international and regional human rights treaties which Eritrea has signed or ratified," added AI.