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Eritrea: WikiLeaks reveals systematic human rights abuses against Christians
According to a press release, International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a US embassy cable published by Wikileaks revealed human rights violations in Eritrea. Currently, according to ICC, there are more than 3,000 Christians imprisoned in Eritrea for practicing their faith.
The leaked document, said the ICC statement, confirms years of ICC reports about the inhumane conditions of prisoners in Eritrea. "Prisoners were fed two pieces of bread three times a day. A bucket in the middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouth from thirst," a former prisoner told the United States embassy officials in Eritrea, according to the Wikileaks report.
He and another 600 prisoners were kept in a 40 by 38 foot cell. “It was not possible to lie down and barely possible to sit,” he said. His cellmates were “Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters, common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered denominations).”
The prisoner said he heard “the screams of people being tortured” and saw Eritrean security officials “bringing back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the holding room.” He witnessed Eritrean security officials “beating a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet.” In another instance, he observed “a man sitting with his arms tied and raised behind his back. His feet were tied together and a wooden pole was placed beneath his knees.”
For the full Wikileaks report on the prisoners, see :(http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/11/08ASMARA546.html).
Many of the imprisoned Christians are members of evangelical churches. Most of them are kept in underground dungeons, metal shipping containers and military barracks. Several have died in prison due to the torture and inhumane conditions.
“The Wikileaks report sheds light on the plight of prisoners in Eritrea. It’s unconscionable for Eritrea to mistreat its own citizens in such horrible ways for peacefully exercising their religious freedom. We urge Eritrea to end such inhumane acts,” said Jonathan Racho, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa.
Source: Spero News
For the full Wikileaks report on the prisoners, please look below:
Viewing cable 08ASMARA546, ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF
SS E C R E T ASMARA 000546
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/ICI/CI,
DS/IP/SPC/SO, DS/OPO/FLD, INR, AF/E, DRL, LONDON AND PARIS
FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2028
TAGS: ASEC ER PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF
SUBJECT: ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF
XXXXXXXXXXXX
REF: ASMARA 509
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On XXXXXXXXXXXX was released after five months in jail.
XXXXXXXXXXXX emotionally recounted his experience to the RSO, including his interrogation,
deplorable prison conditions, beatings, and witnessing the torture
of other prisoners being held at the XXXXXXXXXXXX facility.
XXXXXXXXXXXX kept a prison diary and gave different,
but similar, versions to the RSO and XXXXXXXXXXXX.
END SUMMARY.
ARREST
------
2 (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was assigned as a guard at the
XXXXXXXXXXXX. On XXXXXXXXXXXX, police came to his
residence around 6:00 a.m. and demanded to see his
demobilization card. Such intrusions are common in May
during the run-up to Independence Day, as the government
increases security and also rounds up national service
evaders. The demobilization card is proof that an Eritrean
has completed national service, and in theory, not subject to
call-up or arrest for service evasion. As XXXXXXXXXXXX
was pulling out his demobilization card, the officials spotted
his XXXXXXXXXXXX ID and noted his Ethiopian last name.
XXXXXXXXXXXX told RSO he does not think the officials came
to his house because he worked for the XXXXXXXXXXXX, but
were looking for suspicious persons and arrested him after
seeing his XXXXXXXXXXXX and last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX
¶3. (S/NF) Police questioned XXXXXXXXXXXX at a downtown
police station for about four hours. They asked about his job
XXXXXXXXXXX, his father's last name, how many
XXXXXXXXXXXX, and how long he had worked there.
Later that day, XXXXXXXXXXX was taken to the
XXXXXXXXXXXX located XXXXXXXXXXXX..
DETENTION AND INTERROGATION
---------------------------
¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was placed in a cell approximately
40 feet x 38 feet with about 600 other prisoners. He stated the
conditions were so cramped, it was not possible to lie down
and barely possible to sit. He was held there for one month
before being interrogated. He was interrogated on two
separate occasions by members of the Eritrean National
Security Organization (ENSO), including one nicknamed
XXXXXXXXXXXX On both occasions the interrogator beat him.
The interrogator asked him the following questions:
¶A. What was his job title and responsibilities.
¶B. Did he perform any other duties XXXXXXXXXXXX ,
and why does he work there.
¶C. Which XXXXXXXXXXXX were spying for XXXXXXXXXXXX
¶D. XXXXXXXXXXX
¶E. What were the religions of XXXXXXXXXXX.
¶F. What activities occur at the XXXXXXXXXXXX, is
it being used as a warehouse, and what is stored there.
¶G. Who is the XXXXXXXXXXXX, what is his job, what
activities does he do at XXXXXXXXXXX, who does he
meet with, and what parts of Asmara does he frequent.
¶H. They asked about, XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX stated the ENSO personnel called him a "spy
XXXXXXXXXXXX during his interrogations. They stated they knew
"everything that happens in the XXXXXXXXXXXX and that if
he lied to them they would know XXXXXXXXXXXX stated he was
simply a guard at XXXXXXXXXXXX. He stated his job was
to provide security XXXXXXXXXXXX The interrogator
XXXXXXXXXXXX later told XXXXXXXXXXXX he must
come at least once a week to XXXXXXXXXXXX office in
Asmara and report all activities he observes at
XXXXXXXXXXXX.
XXXXXXXXXXXX.
PRISON CONDITIONS
-----------------
¶5. (S/NF) After the two interrogations, XXXXXXXXXXXX
wasnot questioned again, but returned to the crowded holding
room. Prisoners were fed 2 pieces of bread three times a day
and allowed to use the toilet twice a day. A bucket in the
middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted
bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated
the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk
due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of
their mouths from thirst. XXXXXXXXXXXX said prisoners believed
ENSO had placed informers in the prison cell to gain additional
information. Family members and friends are allowed to bring
food to prisoners. One of XXXXXXXXXXXX friends smuggled
in a notebook and pen with a tray of food, and he chronicled his
experience in two versions, one for the RSO and another for
the Ambassador. XXXXXXXXXXXX smuggled the diaries
out also using the food trays.
WITNESS TO TORTURE
------------------
¶6. (S/NF) The ENSO personnel regularly tortured prisoners
imprisoned with XXXXXXXXXXXX. His cellmates were
Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters,
common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered
denominations). XXXXXXXXXXXX stated they could hear the
screams of people being tortured and he witnessed ENSO
staff bringing back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the
holding room. On one occasion, XXXXXXXXXXXX observed
ENSO officials beating a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet.
Another time, when XXXXXXXXXXXX was allowed out to use the bathroom,
he passed a shipping container and saw a man sitting with his arms tied and raised
behind his back. His feetwere tied together and a wooden pole was placed beneath
his knees. He saw head with a rubber hose and wooden sticks. XXXXXXXXXXXX said
ENSO later moved the container to a more remote part of the Camp where
other prisoners could not observe the torture.
CHILDREN NOT SPARED
-------------------
¶7. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that for a few days,
approximately 35 boys, aged 8-13, were confined with him.
Asked why they were arrested, the boys said they had crossed
into Ethiopia, but Ethiopian soldiers caught them, and, after
feeding them and giving them new clothes, sent them back to
Eritrea, telling them they were too young to cross by themselves.
Upon returning to Eritrea, the boys were arrested and taken to
XXXXXXXXXXXX, and later to another prison in
XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXXsaid ENSO personnel also
beat the boys And told the adult prisoners not to talk to the boys or to each