Covering events from January-December 2001

Eritrea
Head of state and government: Issayas Afewerki
Capital: Asmara
Population: 3.8 million
Official languages: English, Arabic, Tigrinya
Death penalty: retentionist
2001 treaty ratifications/signatures: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; UN Convention against Racism

The authorities used repressive measures to deal with an upsurge in public dissent in the latter part of 2001. At least 80 people were detained including 11 former senior party officials and at least 24 journalists. The independent press was suspended in September and remained so at the end of the year. Student leaders were arrested and thousands were kept in harsh conditions during their compulsory summer work program; at least two died as a result. Allegations of detentions and extrajudicial executions of political opponents were difficult to verify.

Background

The mandate of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), created under the 2000 Algiers Agreement which ended the war with Ethiopia, was extended to March 2002. In May, the UN arms embargo on Eritrea and Ethiopia was lifted. On a number of occasions throughout the year, UNMEE complained that the authorities were restricting their movement on some roads both inside and leading into the UNMEE-monitored Temporary Security Zone, a buffer zone inside Eritrea. The government said it required prior notification if UNMEE wanted to move outside the Zone or into restricted military areas. Both Eritrea and Ethiopia alleged that the other's forces illegally entered the Zone on a number of occasions. The Boundary and Compensation Commissions, instituted under the Algiers Agreement, were established. Although both sides began to repatriate prisoners of war in early 2001, disagreements led to a considerable slowing down of the process by the end of the year.

In August the Chief Justice was sacked after complaining of government interference in the judicial process.

In September the Italian Ambassador was expelled after he raised European Union concerns about recent arrests. The Eritrean authorities said they had called for his removal before this. All European Union member states recalled their representatives in October for consultation. All except the Italian Ambassador returned in November.

By the end of 2001, regulations allowing for the formation of political parties had been shelved and an electoral law had not been ratified. Elections due in December were not held.

Refugees and returnees

Tens of thousands of refugees returned to Eritrea in 2001, including at least 25,000 from Sudan. Hundreds of people internally displaced by the war began to return to their homes. Hundreds of Eritreans were voluntarily repatriated from Ethiopia under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). However, in June the ICRC complained that 722 Eritreans were involuntarily repatriated from Ethiopia; the Ethiopian authorities said they had returned willingly.

Armed opposition

Eritrea continued to support political and armed opposition groups in Ethiopia, and Ethiopia continued to support such groups in Eritrea. It was difficult to obtain information on the activities in Eritrea of the Alliance of Eritrean National Forces, which included the Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council, supported by Ethiopia, and the Eritrean Islamic Salvation Movement, supported by Sudan. It was impossible to verify allegations by these groups of killings, torture and detentions of their supporters by government forces.

Students

Thousands of students taking part in the compulsory student work program in August and September were forced to work in extremely harsh conditions which led to the deaths from heat-stroke of at least two students. The government said it regretted the deaths, but no investigation was known to have been carried out nor steps taken to improve conditions.

  • Semere Kesete, a student leader from Asmara University, was arrested in July following his public criticism of some elements of the program. He remained in incommunicado detention without charge or trial at the end of the year.
Attacks on government critics

In June the government denied reports that around 15 journalists had been arrested. It said they were carrying out military service. There were fears that regulations concerning military conscription may have been applied to silence critics of the government.

At least 80 people were arrested in September. The independent press was suspended by the government for "not abiding by the press law" and remained closed at the end of the year.

On 18 and 19 September, 11 senior officials in the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice were arrested. They had written an open letter in March to fellow party members accusing the government of acting in an "illegal and unconstitutional" manner. They remained in incommunicado detention without charge or trial at the end of the year.

At least nine journalists were arrested following the suspension of the independent press; they remained in incommunicado detention without charge at the end of 2001.

Detention without trial and unfair trials

There were continuing allegations that many people, particularly those suspected of having links with Eritrean armed opposition groups, were being held without charge or trial for political reasons. Scores of people were also reported to remain in detention throughout 2001, awaiting trial by the Special Court. Trials before the Special Court continued to fall short of international fair trial standards, with trials conducted behind closed doors and no rights to defence counsel or of appeal to a higher or independent court.
  • In June, the government reported that Ermias Debesay, a former ambassador to China, had been convicted by the Special Court of theft, embezzlement and abuse of power, and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. It was alleged that his conviction was politically motivated.
Dozens of Eritrean officials of the former Ethiopian government in Eritrea were believed to be still serving prison sentences, imposed after unfair trials, for human rights abuses.

AI country reports/visits

Report
  • Eritrea: Growing repression of government critics (AI Index: AFR 64/001/2001)

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