A speech presented by Senait Yohannes to a panel discussion held in the United Nations Head Quarters in New York City  on the 24^th of July 2008 concerning to the issue “Declaration of Prisoners of Conscience” in which more than 100 diplomats, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and journalists participated.

I want to thank the United States Mission to the United Nations and the United States Department of State for inviting me to be part of a panel of speakers to commemorate the Declaration of Prisoners of Conscience. 

I’m particularly proud to be among these people who have shown courage in speaking out against injustices and for their tireless efforts on behalf of prisoners of conscience in their respective countries.  I’m very pleased to be here to speak about the plight of the many Eritrean prisoners of conscience who are languishing in the dungeons of the regime in Asmara – particularly, on behalf of my sister, Aster Yohannes and her husband, Petros Solomon. 

But I’m equally saddened to be here, I wish there was no reason for me to be in this position. After so many sacrifices for the independence of Eritrea - for freedom, justice and self-determination, our country should have been a place blessed with liberty, justice and rule of law that every citizen enjoyed. Unfortunately, it has become a big jail where people who contributed enormously for its liberation are now denied basic right – even a day in court or visitation rights. The tragedy that afflicts Eritrea is beyond anybody’s imagination.

My sister, Aster Yohannes was detained by security forces on December 11, 2003 from Asmara airport upon here return home to be with her children after three years of study in the USA. She has been detained in solitary confinement, and to-date she has not been allowed any visits from her children or family members. The Eritrean Government has not charged Aster with any crime nor have they provided any reason for her continous detention. Aster’s only crime is being the wife former Foreign Minister and Prisoner of Conscience Petros Solomon. Since its independence in 1991, Eritrea is being ruled by an unelected party that has a complete monopoly of economic, political and social life in the country. The group known as the G15, of which Aster’s husband, Mr. Petros Solomon, was a member, challenged the ruling party and called for democratic reforms and demanded the implementation of the constitution that was ratified in 1997. By imprisoning G15, who included prominent leaders of Eritrea, the regime completely eradicated any meaningful voice of dissent inside the country. The regime is hostile to the idea of democracy and rule of law.

The regime has criminalized dissent in Eritrea; it has closed down all private media and imprisoned journalists. One of those journalists who have been languishing in prison since September 2001 is Amanuel Asrat. Amanuel is a high schoolmate of mine. He was top of his school student. Amanuel fought for Eritrean independence and he is very gifted writer and journalist. No one knows his whereabouts for the last 7 years. With the exception of opposition voices outside the country, there is no one advocating for the rights of prisoners of conscience in Eritrea. It is imperative that the international community pressure the Eritrean government to abide by international norms. The voice of the international community is critically important in the case of Eritrea.  

I appeal to the United Nations to apply pressure to the Eritrean regime to free all prisoners of conscience.

 I also appeal to all UN Member States and Organization to take the following steps to assist political prisoners and their family members: 

·         To put diplomatic pressure to Eritrea to abide by international rules.

·         To make aid funds conditional on the state of human rights in Eritrea.

·         Adopt a travel ban against the top officials of the regime from traveling.

·         Support Eritrean civic and media organizations that are fighting on behalf of prisoners of conscience, justice and democracy.

·         Support legal programs to help families/victims of prosecution to pursue legal actions against the Eritrean regime.

·         Find ways to assist families whose bread earners are jailed.

·         There are many Eritreans that are risking their life to cross the border (cross the border is subject to death penalty- shooting squad) and seeking refugees in neighboring countries. These refugees are in dire need of assistance such as food, clothing and other basic necessities.

·         Find way to give the youth in the refugee camps in Ethiopia and Sudan an opportunity to have a decent life through education, job training and resettlement programs.  

The UN is the main organization that has a moral and legal obligation to address the plight of Eritrean prisoners. Eritrean prisoners of conscience, some of whom have been languishing in jail for more than a decade, must not be forgotten. I plead to the UN to use all available resources to help these voiceless prisoners. 

Finally, I urge the UN to demand the Eritrean regime to allow the ICRC to visit the Prisoners of conscience in Eritrea and report on their general conditions and ascertain if they are still alive. Rumors are abound stating that some of the prisoners might be dead. With no visitation rights – or any sort of communication –the families of prisoners are living in a never-ending state of anxiety. Only the ICRC can determine the prisoners’ state.