Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Annual Report 2006 - Eritrea

Incommunicado detention of three union leaders59

In 2006, no information was made available as to the place and conditions of detention or to possible charges brought against Mr. Tewelde Ghebremedhin, president of the Food, Beverages, Hotels, Tourism, Agriculture and Tobacco Workers' Federation, Mr. Minase Andezion, secretary general of the Textile and Leather Workers' Federation, and Mr. Habtom Weldemicael, president of the Coca Cola Workers' Union and member of the Food and Beverage Workers' Federation executive committee.

The three trade unionists are still believed to be held incommunicado and thus at risk of being tortured or ill-treated.

Messrs. Tewelde Ghebremedhin and Minase Andezion were arrested by police forces on March 30, 2005. Mr. Habtom Weldemicael was arrested on April 9, 2005 for having allegedly urged Coca Cola workers to engage in industrial action to protest against the worsening of their living standards.


[Refworld note: This report as posted on the FIDH website (www.fidh.org) was in pdf format with country chapters run together by region. Footnote numbers have been retained here, so do not necessarily begin at 1.]

59. Idem.

Disclaimer:

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.