Attacks on the Press in 2010 - Committee to Protect Journalists

Journalists in PrisonAsked about Isaac’s “crime” in a 2009 interview with Swedish freelancejournalist Donald Boström, Afewerki replied, “I don’t know.” Headded: “I don’t even care where he is or what he is doing. He did a bigmistake.” In October, Isaac was honored with the World Association ofNewspapers’ Golden Pen of Freedom.imprisoned: february 15, 2002Hamid Mohammed Said, Eri-TVDuring a July 2002 fact-finding mission to the capital, Asmara, a CPJdelegation confirmed that Eritrean authorities had arrested three statemedia reporters in February 2002 as part of the government’s masscrackdown on the press, which began in September 2001. ReportersSaadia Ahmed and Saleh Aljezeeri were released, according to CPJsources.Eri-TV reporter Said was believed still being held in an undisclosedlocation, sources told CPJ. The government has ignored numerousinquiries from CPJ and other organizations seeking information aboutthe journalist’s whereabouts, health, and legal status.imprisoned: january and february 2009Bereket Misguina, Radio BanaMulubruhan Weldegebriel, Radio BanaGhirmai Abraham, Radio BanaIssak Abraham, Radio BanaMeles Nguse, Radio BanaYirgalem Fesseha, Radio BanaEritrean security forces arrested six government journalists as partof a crackdown on staffers connected to Radio Bana, an EducationMinistry-sponsored station in Asmara, according to several CPJsources. Authorities ordered the arrests based on suspicions that thejournalists and other staffers had provided information to foreignbasedEritrean opposition organizations and news websites, accordingto the sources. The detainees were being held in Mai Srwa and AdiAbieto military camps.The journalists had worked for other state media. Ghirmai Abrahamhad been producer of an arts program, and Issak Abraham had produceda Sunday entertainment show on state Radio Dimtsi Hafash.373