Brussels, 19/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 18 September, the anniversary of the imprisonment without trial of Eritrean members of parliament, political prisoners since 2001 totally cut off from the world and deprived of their human rights, the EU repeated that it is deeply concerned about the constant violations of human rights in Eritrea and reminded Eritrea of its obligations.
Speaking in the name of the European Union, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said, in a press release published on Tuesday evening, that “the Government of the State of Eritrea continues to violate its human rights obligations, under both domestic and international law. The EU refers in particular to the continued detention without trial - since
18 September 2001 - of a group of eleven prominent members of Parliament and of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, and also - since 23 September 2001 - of ten independent journalists, including the Eritrean-Swedish citizen Dawit Isaak.”
Ashton regrets the fact that the Eritrean government has remained deaf to the appeals of the international community - including the UN Human Rights Council and the European Union, and she reminds the authorities of their obligations, especially in terms of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. “There have been reports that other journalists have been arrested and detained without a trial. The European Union is particularly concerned about the reported deaths of some of the political prisoners and the deterioration of the medical situation of others. The continued lack of information on the whereabouts and the access to health care of the detainees is in clear violation of several human rights obligations”, Ashton stated. (AN/transl.fl)