Prisoner of Conscience: Medhanie Haile

Amnesty Group 21 Case Work

Amnesty International USA has assigned a Prisoner of Conscience (POC) to the Davis Community Chapter. He is Medhanie Halie-- an Eritrean journalist who has been imprisoned since September 2001. The Davis Community Chapter will work on his behalf, initiating letter writing campaings and other actions, in an effort to secure his unconditional release.

Medhanie Haile Case Background

On September 18, 2001, with the world’s attention focused on the 9/11 attacks that took place days earlier in New York and Washington, Eritrean authorities launched their crackdown on dissent by detaining a group of senior officials of the ruling party, whose calls for peaceful political change had been covered by the independent press. The authorities suspended all of Eritrea's independent newspapers for allegedly “jeopardizing national unity” and detained many of the leading journalists.

None of those detained have been taken before a judge, provided legal counsel, or officially charged with an offense. The detained journalists staged a hunger strike in March 2002 to protest their detention. In response, officials transferred the detainees to secret locations. None have been heard from since.

Medhanie Haile was one of the detained journalists. In addition to Haile, the detained journalists include Fessahaye Yohannes, Said Abdulkadir, Yosuf Mohamed Ali, Amanuel Asrat, Temesgen Gebreyesus, Mattewos Habteab, Dawit Habtemichael, Dawit Isaac, Seyoum Tsehaye, Saleh Al-Jezaeri and Hamid Mohamed Said. Authorities released Dawit Isaaac from detention in Novermber 2005, only to detain him agin two days later.

Amnesty International considers all of these men to be prisoners of conscience and seeks their immediate and unconditional release from detention.

Take Action-- Speak out for Human Rights!

Please send politely worded letters to the President of Eritrea, urging him to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of Medhanie Halile and the other detained journalists.

Write to:

His Excellency
President Issayas Afewerki
Office of the President
PO Box 257
Asmara
ERITREA

Example Letter (MS Word *.doc format)

Example Action Letter and info(3/1/2007) (MS Word *.doc format)

March 2007 Reported Death of Journalist Josha Yohannes

Recently there have been credible reports that a colleague of Mr. Halle, journalist Joshua Yohannes, has died in detention due to lack of medical care.

You can take action on behalf of these prisoners of conscience by following the link below and downloading a letter (MS word format) calling for the investigation of Mr. Yohannes death, and calling for the investigation of the detention of Mr. Halle. Letter to Investigate Yohannes & Halle!

Learn More About Detained Eritrean Journalists

Well made short video that gives good insight into the experiences of Eritrean POCs and victims of torture.

Amnesty International's Special Focus Web Page on Fessahaye Joshua Yohannes and other detained Journalists-- including Mehanie Haile....AI Eritrea Special Focus >>

AI Sept. 2003 Background Article on Detention of Eritrean Journalists

Learn More About Eritrea

Eritrea is located in eastern Africa, bordering on the Red Sea, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. Formerly an Italian colony, Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia in 1952 and later reduced to the status of a province. After 30 years of war with Ethiopia, Eritrea attained independence in 1993. In 1997 the transitional government ratified a Constitution with provisions for a democratic government and protections for human rights, but the Constitution has never been implemented and the transitional government headed by President Issayas remains in power. From 1998 to 2001, Eritrea and Ethiopia fought a bitter war over border issues which are still not resolved. There has been no independent press after 2001. For more information, go to one of the links listed below.

The preceding paragraph is taken from AI group 22's (Pasadena CA) web page regarding their adopted Eritrean POC, Estifanos Seyoum. Here is a link to that web page...AI group 22 Estifanos Seyourm >>

Wikipedia

BBC

CIA Factbook