http://ascenteq.com/project/epdp

Dear Madam/ Sir,

The human rights situation in Eritrea, in general, and the condition of the Eritrean political prisoners, in particular, has been worsening every time for the past several years until it has become a big concern at global level. As Professor Kjetil Tronvoll, a Norwegian human rights activist has aptly described it in his booklet on human rights in Eritrea (1991-2009), what prevails in that country since 1991 is a prison-like situation of a people in a siege. The endless and ever increasing exodus of people out of Eritrea is a concrete evidence for the truth of this expression. At this epoch, it is difficult to imagine for an entire nation to live for 25 long years under total deprivation and gross violation of the very basic human and political rights. Needless to say, Eritreans have been and are condemned by their own regime to live without any civil and political space one can think of: no national constitution, no national elections, no independent judiciary, no freedom of expression, no freedom of association, no freedom of religion, no freedom of mobility .. the list of no's is endless.

Only to stress, all the economic and political power is dominated by the small clique in the so-called People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). The unjustifiable covers used to justify absolute control of economic and political life of the people include "nation-building, internal security, stability, national unity and the protection of state sovereignty."  In a word, the present and the future of the nation has been stolen - especially of its young generation, who had been hijacked by the illegitimate regime and forced to indefinite service (forced labour) nowadays being rightly equated with modern-day slavery.

The erroneous policies of the repressive regime in Asmara, including its meaningless 'self-reliance', have brought the disaster we are witnessing in Eritrea today. The only areas where the regime excelled are inhumane treatment of its own people, and building over 360 prisons where tens of thousands languished for years, and many died of bad treatment. Since the territorial 'liberation' of the country, persons  with different opinion, especially those thought to be influential to mobilize people such as senior cadres of its own and from the opposition camp, religious leaders, human rights activists, journalists, nationalistic singers, and a number of other recognized individual in the society have been kept in prisons for decades, or just disappeared.

Some reliable information from prison escapees and ex-members of prison staff discloses that many of the detainees lost their lives and others are paralyzed physically and mentally because of torture, inhumane living conditions, including inadequate food, water, health services.   

As the main objectives of the Amnesty International Norge are seeking the release of political prisoners to upholding the whole spectrum of human rights, bringing torturers to justice, change oppressive laws, and free people jailed just for voicing their opinion including ensuring humane treatment and conditions of detention for all detainees regardless of the reasons for their arrest and detention and to alleviate the suffering of their families, particularly by facilitating communication between detainees and their relatives, we the Eritrean community in Norway, therefore, wish to remind your esteemed organization to take the necessary measure to help change the situation of Eritrean prisoners and their distress of their families.

Dear Madam/ Sir,

Through this modest memorandum, we once more wish to request the Amnesty International Norge to redouble its efforts in playing a tangible role in:

Ø  Helping stop torture and other forms of ill-treatment up on all Eritrean prisoners;

Ø  Release of all prisoners of conscience without conditions;

Ø  Address the ongoing disappearance of Eritreans and their incommunicado imprisonment;

Ø  Improvement of conditions of detention as regards food, water and health services Including an end to prolonged solitary confinement;

Ø  Effective legal process so that people can challenge their detention and treatment.

Ø  Independent Monitoring bodies make regular visits to detention places.

Ø  Rapid and regular access to lawyers, doctors and relatives.

Ø 

Ø  Restoring the right of family visitations to Eritrean prisons;

Ø  To ensure respect for legal safeguards and

Ø  Facilitate the release of the detainees and their return to their society.

Finally, we believe that the Amnesty International Norge, in cooperation with fraternal organizations like the International Amnesty, concerned Norwegian and Eritrean authorities, the Norwegian Red Cross and ICRC and other non-governmental organizations, would bring  change in the life and condition of the Eritrean prisoners.

Respectfully yours,

1, Medhanie Habtezghi                  (Eritrean Peoples’ Democratic Party) -------------------

2, Dawit Araya Tesfu                       (Eritrean Peoples’ Democratic Party) ------------------

3, Mebrat Berhane                           (Eritrean Peoples’ Democratic Party)  ------------------

4, Nureldaim A Mohammed           (Eritrean Youth for Change)               --------------------

5, Michele Pagallino                       (Eritrean Youth for Change)               -------------------

6, Senait Teweld Ilfu                       (Eritrean Youth for Change)               --------------------

Oslo, 26 09 2016