Drawings “Human Rights in Eritrea” for Committee to Protect Journalists

Twenty years ago, #Eritrea summarily banned the privately owned press.

Now, the country is the worst jailer of journalists in sub-Saharan Africa, with at least 16 journalists behind bars as of CPJ’s 2020 prison census. Learn more about each below ⤵️https://t.co/4HZCeyHmss pic.twitter.com/YoMz82HNVf

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

In response to growing criticism of President Isaias Afewerki, the Eritrean government banned the privately owned press on September 18, 2001.

Said Abdelkader, editor of the Admas newspaper, was among a group of journalists arrested soon after.https://t.co/B87TXTbVKy pic.twitter.com/dWnhjAePKx

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

In Sept. 2001, Eritrean authorities arrested several journalists, including Meqaleh newspaper editor Dawit Habtemichael.

They began a hunger strike and smuggled out a message demanding due process in early 2002. The government responded by transferring them to secret locations. pic.twitter.com/NbDfHDEgJ5

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Seyoum Tsehaye founded #Eritrea’s state broadcaster, Eri-TV, but later became an independent journalist

After the Eritrean government’s crackdown on independent press in September 2001, Seyoum was arrested. He has been behind bars ever since.https://t.co/WDRd2IPO3k pic.twitter.com/CUBp8SbJqp

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Most journalists behind bars in #Eritrea have been imprisoned since the 2001 government crackdown.

Tesfay Ghebreab, also known as Gomora, is one of three detained journalists who worked for Setit, once Eritrea’s leading newspaper. This photo shows the Setit staff in 2000: pic.twitter.com/MJVsulBxk5

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

The status of most journalists jailed in #Eritrea since the shutdown of independent media remains unknown.

In 2007, CPJ confirmed that at least one of the journalists arrested in 2001, Fesshaye “Joshua” Yohannes, had died in secret detention.https://t.co/CWGTjrN3og pic.twitter.com/8eJOZHaNr3

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

The Eritrean government has repeatedly failed to provide credible answers to questions about jailed journalists, or to allow visits from family or lawyers.

Amanuel Asrat, editor of Zemen newspaper, was arrested in 2001. His status remains unknown.https://t.co/Iz6Ws3BBw5 pic.twitter.com/YV1HRHTnUP

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Eritrean officials have offered vague and inconsistent explanations for journalists' arrests. At times, officials even denied that the journalists existed.

Temesgen Ghebreyesus was one of a group of journalists imprisoned in #Eritrea since September 2001.https://t.co/EfY8H3VkuQ pic.twitter.com/55rTTJcSgg

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaac was imprisoned in the September 2001 government crackdown on the independent press.

Eritrean authorities have given vague and conflicting statements about Dawit’s status over the years.https://t.co/7O12nJlsKn pic.twitter.com/zHCnWbZO9b

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Before the shutdown of independent media in #Eritrea, the privately-owned Tsigenay newspaper advocated for full implementation of the country’s constitution.

Following the shutdown in 2001, the paper’s editor-in-chief Yusuf Mohamed Ali was arrested.https://t.co/ohVXKRSWkI pic.twitter.com/1aHT383iae

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Mattewos Habteab, founder and editor of Meqaleh newspaper, was one of the journalists arrested following #Eritrea's September 2001 crackdown of the press.

CPJ is aware of reports that Mattewos died in prison but cannot independently confirm his death.https://t.co/z4cFOE1nJB pic.twitter.com/uf0I3Kpd9Y

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Medhanie Haile was among a group of Eritrean journalists who wrote to the Ministry of Information in September 2001 asking for an explanation after the shutdown of the private press.

He has been imprisoned since September 2001.https://t.co/EK2IXGqBte pic.twitter.com/qhDH6dTnQU

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Freelance Eritrean journalist Sahle Tsegazeab, also known as Wedi Itay, was arrested shortly before a planned trip to South Africa for postgraduate studies.

Eritrean authorities arrested Sahle in October 2001; he has not been heard from since.https://t.co/HLAonJOmto pic.twitter.com/OgHKLT2sE2

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Ghebrehiwet Keleta, a reporter for the privately owned weekly Tsigenay, was arrested in 2000 in #Eritrea. His condition is unknown.

Security agents arrested Ghebrehiwet while he was on his way to work. He has not been heard from since his arrest.https://t.co/BVoVFznz3I pic.twitter.com/xtGL1BuLJb

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Idris Said, also known as Abba Arre, was a civil servant and columnist in #Eritrea.

Like all imprisoned journalists in the country, there are no charges disclosed in his case. https://t.co/K0psXFedii@PEN_Ertra pic.twitter.com/oYW3V3cmao

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Eritrean reporter Saleh Aljazeeri was arrested in February 2002. His son, who fled #Eritrea in 2016, told Radio Erena, a station run by Eritrean journalists in exile, that the family had no information about Saleh's exact whereabouts or his health. https://t.co/gGGzTyvyjH pic.twitter.com/AGjOywvGBm

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Hamid Mohammed Said, an editor for the Arabic-language service of the Eritrean government-controlled national broadcaster Eri-TV, was arrested in 2002 alongside two reporters.

At least one of the other journalists was released but Hamid remains detained.https://t.co/q9YBv44kkh pic.twitter.com/ysNEQViVbT

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Jimi’ie Kimeil, a journalist and editor at the state-run Arabic-language newspaper Eritrea al-Haditha, was arrested in 2005, in a wave of arrests of other prominent figures in Eritrea.

The government of #Eritrea has never confirmed his imprisonment.https://t.co/SJx6qPzcCo pic.twitter.com/uWQvkHWl7J

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021

Illustrations in this thread are courtesy of Gianluca Costantini (@channeldraw ). Learn more about the journalists imprisoned in #Eritrea here: https://t.co/YyJaa87EQX

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) September 17, 2021