Eritrean Activists Documenting Torture

Eritrean Activists Risk Everything to Document Torture

On January 9, 2013, Eritrean activist Selam Kidane witnessed the brutal beating of a fellow prisoner in the Adi Abeito prison camp in Asmara, Eritrea. Kidane, who was being held for speaking out against the government, saw the prisoner being kicked and punched by guards. This incident sparked Kidane's determination to document human rights abuses in Eritrea. Human rights activist and historian, Daniel Mekonnen, has also spoken out about the atrocities committed by the Eritrean government.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Eritrea is a closed-off country with little to no information available about its human rights record. The standard story goes that the government tightly controls all forms of media, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to get a glimpse of what's really happening on the ground. However, this lack of information has not stopped Eritrean activists from finding ways to document and expose the truth about the government's abuses.

What History Actually Shows

Historian and Eritrea expert, Michela Wrong, notes in her book "I Didn't Do It For You: How the Sexual Abuse of Children is a Symptom of a Larger Systemic Problem" that the Eritrean government has a long history of suppressing dissent and independent media, dating back to 1991 when the country gained independence. On September 18, 2001, the government arrested and imprisoned several journalists, effectively shutting down the independent press. According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, by 2007, Eritrea had become one of the worst places in the world for journalists to work. The Eritrean government has been holding at least 16 journalists in secret prisons since 2001, with many more having been arrested and released over the years. Historian and human rights activist, Tricia Redeker Hepner, has documented the stories of Eritrean refugees who have fled the country to escape persecution. On June 20, 2012, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution condemning the Eritrean government's human rights record, citing widespread reports of torture and arbitrary detention. Despite these challenges, Eritrean activists continue to find ways to document and expose the government's abuses, often at great personal risk.

The Part That Got Buried

The story of Eritrean activists who document torture was deliberately suppressed by the Eritrean government, which tightly controls the flow of information within and outside the country. President Isaias Afwerki's regime has consistently denied humanitarian organizations and independent journalists access to the country, making it difficult for news of human rights abuses to reach the international community. The lack of coverage can be directly attributed to the government's strategic efforts to silence dissenting voices, including arresting and detaining local journalists who attempt to report on sensitive issues. Furthermore, the international community's limited response to these human rights violations has also contributed to the story being overlooked, as diplomats and policymakers have often prioritized maintaining diplomatic relations with the Eritrean government over advocating for human rights and press freedom. The concrete reason for this history not being told is that many of the documents and records of human rights abuses are held by the Eritrean government, which refuses to release them, and the few that have been smuggled out of the country are often fragmented and difficult to verify.

The Ripple Effect

The work of Eritrean activists who document torture has had a direct impact on the development of human rights policies in the region. For example, the documentation of torture and human rights abuses in Eritrean prisons has led to the establishment of programs to support Eritrean refugees who have fled the country. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the creation of the Eritrean Diaspora Network, which provides support and resources to Eritrean refugees who have been affected by human rights abuses. The network's work has helped to raise awareness about the human rights situation in Eritrea and has put pressure on governments to take action to address these abuses. The people affected by this event are the Eritrean refugees who have been forced to flee their country due to human rights abuses, and they continue to be affected by the lack of international attention and action on this issue.

The Line That Says It All

The Eritrean government's denial of human rights abuses has been consistently contradicted by the documented accounts of torture and abuse collected by Eritrean activists.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to human rights in Eritrea.