28 prisoners of conscience detained 18 years ago have never been seen or heard from since
Posted: 17 Sep 2019, 12:02
17 September 2019
... the 11 politicians and 17 journalists who were arrested in 2001 after criticising President Isaias Afwerki’s rule, and have never been seen or heard from since ...
The 11 politicians were arrested for writing an open letter to President Afwerki urging him to respect the constitution by holding elections and upholding the rule of law, while the 17 journalists were arrested for reporting on the politicians’ letter. None of the 28 have been seen or heard from since nor have any of them been formally charged with any offence.
Background
Among the 11 politicians arrested 18 years ago is Aster Fissehatsion, a veteran pro-independence fighter and prominent member of the Eritrean Peoples’ Liberation Front (EPLF), and her ex-husband, former vice-president and foreign minister Mahmoud Ahmed Sheriffo. Others are former foreign ministers Haile Woldetensae and Petros Solomon. Dawit Isaak and Seyoum Tsehaye, both editors and journalists for Setit, an independent publication were arrested the same day for covering the politicians’ arrests.
Petros Solomon’s wife, Aster Yohannes, returned from the USA to care for her children on learning of his arrest only to be arrested on arrival at Asmara International Airport in December 2003..
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/ ... -released/
... the 11 politicians and 17 journalists who were arrested in 2001 after criticising President Isaias Afwerki’s rule, and have never been seen or heard from since ...
The 11 politicians were arrested for writing an open letter to President Afwerki urging him to respect the constitution by holding elections and upholding the rule of law, while the 17 journalists were arrested for reporting on the politicians’ letter. None of the 28 have been seen or heard from since nor have any of them been formally charged with any offence.
Background
Among the 11 politicians arrested 18 years ago is Aster Fissehatsion, a veteran pro-independence fighter and prominent member of the Eritrean Peoples’ Liberation Front (EPLF), and her ex-husband, former vice-president and foreign minister Mahmoud Ahmed Sheriffo. Others are former foreign ministers Haile Woldetensae and Petros Solomon. Dawit Isaak and Seyoum Tsehaye, both editors and journalists for Setit, an independent publication were arrested the same day for covering the politicians’ arrests.
Petros Solomon’s wife, Aster Yohannes, returned from the USA to care for her children on learning of his arrest only to be arrested on arrival at Asmara International Airport in December 2003..
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/ ... -released/