Eritrea

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Dear member and supporter of War Resisters' International,

Welcome to our Prisoners for Peace Day appeal, this year with a focus on the situation in Eritrea.

Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan is on hunger strike for more than 32 days today, and War Resisters' International is very concerned about his health, and long-term health consequences this hunger strike might have. We therefore urge you to make your protest heard with the Turkish authorities, to fulfill Mehmet Tarhan's demands, so that he, and his friend Ali, can end their hunger strike.

A documentation by Connection e.V., Germany; War Resisters' International; and the Eritrean Anti-Militarism Initiative

On the 1st of April, I was able to give my presentation on a parallel meeting of NGOs which was organized by Conscience Peace Tax International. I presented a paper on Military service and Militarism in Eritrea. It was moderated by Rachel Brett from Quakers.

In close cooperation with Connection e.V. from Germany, War Resisters' International now published an English edition of the documentation on conscientious objection and desertion in Eritrea.

Bisrat Habte Micael

"I had had enough of the war"

I was born on 10 January 1981 in Asmara. I went to Hatsey-Yohannes School until 5th grade, for 6th and 7th to the Awet School, and for the 8th to 11th grade to the Halai School.

When I finished the 11th grade and took my school leaving examination [A-levels], I was just 15 years old.

Amnesty International reported on 9 November that thousands of people arrested on suspicion of evading military conscription and held at the Adi Abeto army prison are thought to be at serious risk of torture and ill-treatment. According to an AFP report, the military rounded up and arrested thousands of youths and others suspected of evading military conscription on Thursday, 4 November 2004. Amnesty International reports:

"Those arrested were taken to Adi Abeto army prison just outside Asmara.

Little is presently known about the fate of conscientious objectors in Eritrea, especially those who don't belong to well-organised religious groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses. Recently, the Jehovah's Witnesses released information that at least 17 of their members are imprisoned for their conscientious objection, some of them since September 1994, without being charged, but often subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Paulos Eyassu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogos have all been imprisoned on 24 September 1994 for refusing to join the military and take up arms.

29/06/2009 Issues

The right to conscientious objection is not recognised.

Conscientious objectors are detained – often indefinitely – without trial.

Draft evaders face harsh punishment. In several cases relatives of draft evaders have been arrested to put pressure on the draft evader.