ERI-ber-easo-e

30 — EASO Country of Origin Information Report — Eritrea. Country Focus
Many diaspora Eritreans are disappointed by their parties and have therefore founded civil society organisations,
some of which focus on human rights (202). The most influential are Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC),
which is most active in Europe and North America, and the Ethiopia-based Eritrean Youth Solidarity for National
Salvation (EYSNS/Simret). The latter refers to itself as a political party (Eritrean Solidarity Movement for National
Salvation) (203) since 2014.
2.4 Criticism of the government
Until the outbreak of the border war with Ethiopia, the newly independent Eritrea enjoyed a political climate that was
more relaxed than today (e.g. there were still private newspapers) and the government had strong public backing.
However, the government’s actions during and after the border war and President Isaias’ increasingly autocratic style
of leadership led to growing criticism. In May 2001, a group of high-ranking ex-combatants referred to as the G-15
published an open letter to the government setting out various demands including a call for greater democracy (204).
This led to a wave of imprisonments on 18 and 19 September 2001, during which the 11 members of the G-15 who
were in Eritrea when the letter was published were detained, as well as, several journalists and other government
critics (205). No criminal proceedings were ever initiated against them and the government has never disclosed their
location. Nine of the 11 imprisoned G-15 members are dead according to unconfirmed reports (206).
In September 2001, all private media in Eritrea were shut down (cf. Chapter 1.5) (207). A zero-tolerance policy has
been applied to public and private criticism of the government ever since (208). It is believed that the government
monitors communication and that government informers are present throughout the country (209). Journalists and
other government critics are regularly imprisoned and held indefinitely without criminal proceedings being initiated
or their relatives being notified (210). The number of political prisoners is estimated at between 5,000 and 10,000 (211).
The Eritrean government justifies this lack of civil liberties under emergency measures due to the ‘no war, no peace’
situation following the border war with Ethiopia (212).
On 21 January 2013, some 100 mutinous soldiers occupied the Ministry of Information and forced a TV presenter
to read out a statement saying that the 1997 constitution would be put into effect and that all political prisoners
would be released. The government suppressed the mutiny and the soldiers withdrew to their barracks (213). Some
(202) Connell, D., ‘From resistance to governance: Eritrea’s trouble with transition’, September 2011, p. 427; NOREF, Eritrean opposition parties and civic
organisations, January 2015, pp. 3-4.
(203) NOREF, Eritrean opposition parties and civic organisations, January 2015, p. 4.
(204) International Crisis Group, Eritrea: Scenarios for Future Transition, 28 March 2013, p. 13; Connell, D., ‘From resistance to governance: Eritrea’s trouble with
transition’, September 2011, pp. 422-423; Europa Regional Surveys of the World, Africa South of the Sahara 2015, 44th edition, 2014, p. 458; Tronvoll, K.,
and Mekonnen, D.R., The African Garrison State. Human Rights & Political Development in Eritrea, 2014, pp. 7, 75-79; Kibreab, G., Eritrea. A Dream Deferred,
2009, pp. 31-38.
(205) International Crisis Group, Eritrea: The Siege State, 21 September 2010, p. 7; Tronvoll, K., The lasting struggle for freedom in Eritrea, 2009, pp. 65-69; HRW,
Service for Life. State Repression and Indefinite Conscription in Eritrea, 16 April 2009, pp. 18-20; International Crisis Group, Eritrea: Scenarios for Future
Transition, 28 March 2013, pp. 13-14; Connell, D., ‘From resistance to governance: Eritrea’s trouble with transition’, September 2011, pp. 422-423; Tronvoll,
K., and Mekonnen, D.R., The African Garrison State. Human Rights & Political Development in Eritrea, 2014, pp. 79-90; Kibreab, G., Eritrea. A Dream Deferred,
2009, pp. 38-46.
(206) Amnesty International, Eritrea: 20 years of independence, but still no freedom, 9 May 2013, p. 43; UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Special Rapporteur
on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Sheila B. Keetharuth, 13 May 2014, p. 5; Amnesty International, Amnesty International Annual Report 2014/15
— Eritrea, 25 February 2015.
(207) Amnesty International, Eritrea: 20 years of independence, but still no freedom, 9 May 2013, pp. 18-19; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2014: Eritrea,
2014; Tronvoll, K., The lasting struggle for freedom in Eritrea, 2009, pp. 63-73.
(208) Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2014. Eritrea Country Report, 2014, p. 11; US Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 — Eritrea,
27 February 2014, p. 9; Connell, D., ‘From resistance to governance: Eritrea’s trouble with transition’, September 2011, p. 423; HRW, Service for Life. State
Repression and Indefinite Conscription in Eritrea, 16 April 2009, p. 58; Tronvoll, K., and Mekonnen, D.R., The African Garrison State. Human Rights & Political
Development in Eritrea, 2014, pp. 107-111.
(209) US Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 — Eritrea, 27 February 2014, pp. 9, 11.
(210) Amnesty International, Eritrea: 20 years of independence, but still no freedom, 9 May 2013, p. 12; HRW, Service for Life. State Repression and Indefinite
Conscription in Eritrea, 16 April 2009, pp. 26, 56-58; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2014: Eritrea, 2014; US Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices for 2013 — Eritrea, 27 February 2014, p. 2; Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2014. Eritrea Country Report, 2014, p. 12; Connell, D., ‘From
resistance to governance: Eritrea’s trouble with transition’, September 2011, p. 423; Tronvoll, K., The lasting struggle for freedom in Eritrea, 2009, pp. 91-93, 102.
(211) Amnesty International, Eritrea: 20 years of independence, but still no freedom, 9 May 2013, p. 14; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2014: Eritrea, 2014.
(212) Tronvoll, K., and Mekonnen, D.R., The African Garrison State. Human Rights & Political Development in Eritrea, 2014, p. 172-178; UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Oral Update by Mr Mike Smith, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea at the 28th session of the
Human Rights Council, 16 March 2015.
(213) International Crisis Group, Eritrea: Scenarios for Future Transition, 28 March 2013, pp. 4-6; Connell, D., ‘Refugees, Ransoms and Revolt. An Update on Eritrea’,
Spring 2013. pp. 35-39; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2014: Eritrea, 2014; Amnesty International, Amnesty International Annual Report 2014/15 —
Eritrea, 25 February 2015; Article 19, Eritrea: A Nation Silenced, June 2013, p. 9; Institute for Security Studies, Where is Eritrea heading? 5 February 2013.