Eritrea Political Prisoners in Atrocious Conditions

{{Thousands of political prisoners are being held by Eritrea in “unimaginably atrocious conditions”, says Amnesty International, and not one has ever been charged with any crime.}}

The rights group says at least 10,000 people have been jailed for political reasons since President Isaias Afewerki came to power 20 years ago.

It says torture is widespread in a network of detention centres.

Eritrea has so far not responded to Amnesty’s new report.

Some of those imprisoned are journalists or critics of the government, Amnesty says. Others have practised an unregistered religion, or tried to flee the country or avoid conscription into the army.

In most cases, prisoners’ families are not informed of their whereabouts, and often never hear from their relative again.

“The government has systematically used arbitrary arrest and detention without charge to crush all opposition, to silence all dissent, and to punish anyone who refuses to comply with the repressive restrictions it places on people’s lives,” said Claire Beston, Amnesty’s Eritrea researcher.

“Twenty years on from the euphoric celebrations of independence, Eritrea is one of the most repressive, secretive and inaccessible countries in the world.”

{NMG}