Freedom of the Press - Eritrea (2004)

Status: Not Free
Legal Environment: 28
Political Influences: 38
Economic Pressures: 23
Total Score: 89

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 54
Religious Groups: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Ethnic Groups: Tigrinya (50 percent),Tigre and Kunama (40 percent), Afar (4 percent), Saho (3 percent), other (3 percent)
Capital: Asmara

Conditions for the media continued to be severely constrained in 2003. Although freedom of expression is nominally provided for in the constitution, the 1996 press law makes this right subject to the official interpretation of "the objective reality of Eritrea," forbids private ownership of broadcast media, and requires that all newspapers and reporters be licensed. In September 2001, in a dramatic crackdown against independent media and other forms of political dissent, the government banned all privately owned newspapers and arrested at least 10 leading journalists, ostensibly on the grounds of national security. The arrests of other members of the press during 2002 brought the total number of imprisoned journalists to 18 (14 remain detained), according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. After some of the detainees began a hunger strike, they were transferred from prison to unknown places of detention and held incommunicado. At least six journalists have fled abroad, while most foreign correspondents have also left Eritrea as they are unable to operate freely. The arrests continued in 2003: Voice of America stringer Aklilu Solomon was arrested at his home in July and taken to a military camp to complete his mandatory national service (despite a documented medical exemption), a tactic often used by authorities on targeted journalists.