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Alerts - Eritrea

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Eritrea

Detained journalist admitted to hospital in serious condition

Journalist and poet Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu was arrested during a raid on Radio Bana on 22 February 2009, during which its entire staff was detained.

Eritrea

RSF concerned over fate of Dawit Isaac

Unconfirmed reports that Isaac has died in detention have been circulating since 27 October. On the basis of the information available, RSF does not think he has died, but it does not know where the authorities are holding him.

Eritrea / Sweden

Journalists face threats in covering Dawit Isaac's imprisonment

Journalist Meron Estefanos, an activist in the campaign to release Isaac, was threatened by the imprisoned journalist's brother, who is a strong supporter of Eritrea's president.

Eritrea

Prominent journalist arrested, ex-prison guard reveals fate of other detained journalists

Around 30 journalists are currently held incommunicado and more arrests are still occurring, including the recent arrest of Said Abdulhai, one of the country's most famous journalists.

Eritrea

One year after her arrest, Radio Bana journalist being held in solitary confinement

It is not known why journalist Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu has been held in solitary confinement for the past few weeks.

Eritrea

Journalist Dawit Isaak still in prison after more than eight years

Dawit was arrested in Asmara on 23 September 2001 for defending the freedom of speech of the Eritrean people in the independent newspaper "Setit".

Eritrea

Eritrea now shares title of world's biggest prison for journalists with China, Iran, says RSF

Eritrea's prisoners of conscience are victims of indifference, tacit consent or overly timid efforts on the part of the country's international partners, says RSF.

Eritrea

RSF calls on European Union to suspend development aid in light of fresh crackdown on journalists

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has called on the European Union (EU) not to hand over aid worth 122 million euros to Eritrea, after a serious deterioration in conditions for political prisoners and as authorities have launched a new wave of arrests of journalists.

Eritrea

IPI calls for release of journalists detained for years without due process

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 19 February 2009 IPI press release:

Eritrea

Journalist Dawit Isaak held without trial for almost eight years, believed to be seriously ill

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:

Eritrea

On 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, many journalists still detained without charges, says ARTICLE 19

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release:

Eritrea

State TV journalist secretly sentenced to five years of forced labour in 2006

(RSF/IFEX) - Daniel Kibrom, a journalist employed by Eritrea's state-owned Eri TV, has been held since October 2006 in a prison camp in the south of the country, where he is serving a sentence of five years of forced labour for trying to cross the border into Ethiopia, Reporters Without Borders has learned from a former prison interrogator who fled the country in 2007.

Eritrea

RSF urges European Union to shake off lethargy after seven years of silence since September 2001 crackdown

(RSF/IFEX) - On the seventh anniversary of the start of a wave of round-ups on 18 September 2001, Reporters Without Borders appeals to each of the European Union's 27 members to publicly endorse the organisation's call for the most senior members of the Eritrean government and military to be declared personae non gratae.

Eritrea

Journalist employed by state-owned radio station held since 2006

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has learned from local sources that Tura Kubaba, a journalist with the Kunama-language service of state-owned Radio Dimtsi Hafash ("Voice of the Masses"), has been detained in Eritrea since the second half of 2006 and disappeared in 2007 within the country's prison system.

Eritrea

New revelations about Eiraeiro prison camp; journalist Seyoum Tsehaye held in hellish conditions

(RSF/IFEX) - The following is an abridged version of a 30 January 2008 RSF report:

Eritrea

RSF urges democratic governments to summon Eritrean ambassadors on anniversary of 18 September 2001 crackdown

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders calls on the foreign ministries of the leading democracies to mark the sixth anniversary of the start of a wave of arrests in Asmara by summoning Eritrea's ambassadors to express disapproval for a crackdown that led to the suppression of all freedoms and the imprisonment of more than 10 journalists in unknown locations.

Eritrea

State TV editor goes missing while trying to flee across border into Ethiopia

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has voiced concern about the fate of Johnny Hisabu, an editor with state-owned Eri-TV, who disappeared in late May 2007 after trying to flee across the border into Ethiopia. There are unconfirmed reports that he was arrested and has been held ever since in a detention centre in the southwestern town of Barentu.

Eritrea

IPI concerned about ongoing detention of journalists, calls on aid donors to do more for human rights and press freedom

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 10 July 2007 IPI letter to European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso, World Bank President Robert Zoellick, and British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander:

Eritrea

Journalist, one of nine arrested in November 2006, dies in attempt to flee to Sudan

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders voiced deep sadness on learning that Paulos Kidane, a journalist with the Amharic-language service of state-owned Eri-TV and radio Dimtsi Hafash (Voice of the Broad Masses), died in June 2007 in an attempt to flee on foot across the border into Sudan.

Eritrea

Woman journalist employed by state TV held in military camp

(RSF/IFEX) - Fathia Khaled, a presenter on state-owned Eri-TV's Arabic-language service, was arrested earlier in June 2007 and taken to one of the country's detention centres, Reporters Without Borders has learned from several Eritrean sources. One of the sources said she may have been taken to the Sawa military camp in the northwest after being in touch with one or more persons who had fled across the border into Sudan on foot.

Eritrea

Public radio journalist arrested as he tries to flee across border

(RSF/IFEX) - On 6 June 2007, Reporters Without Borders voiced deep concern about the fate of Eyob Kessete, a journalist with the Amharic-language service of public radio station Dimtsi Hafash, who was arrested as he tried to flee across the border into Ethiopia and has since been held in the May Srwa detention centre, north of Asmara.

Eritrea

RSF urges Eritrean diaspora to intercede on behalf of imprisoned journalists on 2,000th day since "Black Tuesday"

(RSF/IFEX) - With the number of days since Eritrea's "Black Tuesday" of 18 September 2001 about to reach 2,000, Reporters Without Borders has urged the Eritrean diaspora to demand an explanation from the government in Asmara for the disappearance of at least 14 journalists in the country's prisons, four of whom are feared dead.

Eritrea

Three public media journalists released from detention but kept under surveillance

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has learned that three Eritrean state media journalists were recently released after being held for several weeks at police station No. 5 in the capital, Asmara, but a fourth is still being held.

Eritrea

Writer and journalist Fessehaye Yohannes has reportedly died in detention

(RSF/IFEX) - Credible Eritrean sources in Asmara and abroad have told Reporters Without Borders that poet and playwright Fessehaye "Joshua" Yohannes, who was a journalist with the now-banned weekly "Setit", died in detention on 11 January 2007.

Eritrea / Sudan

Closure of Eritrean radio station Al-Sharq, broadcasting from Sudan; one journalist released, eight still held in police-run "Agip" centre in Asmara

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has disputed Eritrean information minister Ali Abdu's claim that nine journalists arrested on 12 November 2006 have been released, insisting that only one of the nine has been freed and the other eight are still being held. The journalist who was released is Simon Zewde (previously identified as "Simon"), who works for the state television station Eri-TV.

Eritrea

At least nine journalists arrested in new round-up by security services

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is appalled by a new round-up of journalists by the Eritrean government, in which at least nine employees of state-owned media outlets have been arrested since 12 November 2006 and are being held at undisclosed locations in conditions that are probably extremely harsh.

Eritrea

Report suggests three journalists may have died in prison camp in northeastern desert

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has called on the Eritrean government to urgently produce evidence that three journalists illegally held since September 2001 are still alive, as information from credible sources indicates they died in the course of the past 20 months in a detention centre at a place called Eiraeiro, in a remote northeastern desert.

Eritrea

RSF marks tragic anniversary of 18 September 2001

(RSF/IFEX) - The following is an 18 September 2006 RSF press release:

Eritrea

Journalists still jailed incommunicado after five years, brutal conditions and three deaths reported

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 15 September 2006 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

President urged to mark independence anniversary by freeing prisoners

(RSF/IFEX) - On the eve of the 13th anniversary of Eritrea's independence, on 24 May 2006, Reporters Without Borders appealed to President Issaias Afeworki to release all of his government's prisoners of conscience, including 13 journalists being held incommunicado whose newspapers were shut down in a September 2001 crackdown.

Eritrea

Freed journalist sent back to jail

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:

Eritrea

IFJ urges government to allow released journalist to leave country, free others held since 2001 clampdown

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:

Eritrea

Journalist freed without charge after four years in jail

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:

Eritrea

CPJ demands government account for "disappeared" journalists

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 16 September 2005 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

Voice of America correspondent freed; sixteen journalists remain in secret jails

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 3 March 2005 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

IFJ condemns government's "dictatorial" approach to press freedom

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:

Eritrea

CPJ and nine other organisations issue joint call for release of jailed journalists

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 17 September 2004 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

Government expels last foreign correspondent

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:

Eritrea

CPJ calls for release of imprisoned journalists

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is an 18 September 2003 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

Fifteen journalists still detained in the utmost secrecy

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF and the Association of Eritrean Journalists in Exile have adjusted their figures for the number of imprisoned journalists in Eritrea to 15. The organisations have learned that three journalists who were thought to still be in detention - Zemenfes Haile, Biniam Haile and Simret Seyoum - have in fact been released, and contrary to previous reports, Selamyinghes Beyene was never arrested.

Eritrea

Voice of America journalist arrested

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:

Eritrea

President renews criticism of independent press, CPJ calls for release of imprisoned journalists

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 22 May 2003 CPJ press release:

Eritrea

ARTICLE 19 reiterates concerns about jailed journalists and political dissidents

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release, followed by a copy of the organisation's letter to South African President Thabo Mbeki:

Eritrea

RSF calls on EU to condition resumption of economic aid on release of detained journalists

Eritrea / United States

CPJ receives response from U.S. Defense Department

Eritrea

CPJ launches campaign to free jailed journalist

Eritrea

Journalist detained

Eritrea

CPJ confirms that four more journalists are in prison

Eritrea

18 journalists still in jail one year after ban on independent media

Eritrea

CPJ confirms detention of fourteenth journalist

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