JAILS IN ASMARA: A RECENT ACCOUNT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000445

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINR SOCI ER
SUBJECT: JAILS IN ASMARA: A RECENT ACCOUNT

REF: ASMARA 421

Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Recent experiences of individuals detained in
an Asmara police station shed new light on both the
conditions and the operations of jails at police stations.
The benign neglect of the jail guards prove a stark contrast
to the horrific accommodations described by individuals
incarcerated in the underground cells and shipping containers
at prisons such as Wi'a and Adi Abeto. The cells and
conditions of the police stations, while by no means
comfortable, are less dangerous to the prisoners and provide
at least a minimum of health and safety to those held for
short periods of time. Access to prisoners by family,
friends or legal representatives is nearly impossible, and
the Government of Eritrea (GSE) prevents Embassy consular
officials from visiting detained Americans. The GSE
continues to use arrest and detention as a means to
intimidate its citizens and inculcate a culture of submission
to authority. End Summary.

--------------
RECENT DETAINEES DESCRIBE JAIL AND CONDITIONS
--------------


2. (C) Recent detainees recounted to Emboff observations from
their four day detention in Police Station Number Five.
(Reftel) Detainees described cell conditions as very
crowded, with an estimated five meter by four meter cell
holding as many as 30 prisoners. One detainee explained the
prisoners could all sit against the cell walls
simultaneously, but they found it difficult to lie down to
sleep at the same time. Guards allowed the older prisoners,
particularly the men, more privileges than others and treated
them with a certain amount of civility. The guards permitted
the older prisoners to spend more time outdoors and placed
fewer prisoners in their cell, giving them more space in the
small cell. The jail did not provide blankets or pillows for
sleeping and the lights in the cell were left on throughout
the night.


3. (U) The detainees reported that the prisoners organized
themselves within the jail in the absence of direction from
prison officials. One person in each cell was selected as
the leader and was responsible for working with guards on
prisoner bathroom breaks and exercise activities. In
addition, the prisoners pooled available food, water, and
other resources such as clothes and blankets together for
communal distribution. Violence among prisoners is very rare
and dealt with harshly by the guards. Prisoners are fed a
subsistence diet by the facility consisting mostly of watery
lentils, but friends and relatives are allowed to bring food,
water, and other items at 11:30 AM and 5:00 PM daily.


4. (C) The detainees noted some prisoners had cell phones
that were smuggled into the jail and used to communicate with
relatives. Prisoners regularly listened to the Tigrinya and
Amharic language Voice of America (VOA) programming on
smuggled-in short wave radios. The longer term prisoners
told the detainees that the VOA programming was "their
lifeline" and was an important part of each day.

--------------
THE OTHER PRISONERS
--------------


5. (U) In describing the other prisoners with them in the
jail, the detainees observed the prisoners they met seemed to
be well educated and from the upper echelons of Eritrean
society. Merchants and traders appeared to be overly
represented, with some explaining the GSE had detained them
multiple times for violating finance law. (Note: With the
GSE's strict control over hard currency most likely these
businessmen were detained because of access to and use of
hard currency. End note.) According to the detainees, one
individual recently arrested was extremely distraught as with
the passing of each day she faced a greater likelihood of
unemployment. While she was able to pass a message to her
employer, a GSE Ministry, claiming that she was ill, she
feared she would not be able to maintain this for longer than
a week. She feared that even though she might eventually be
released with no criminal record, it would be too late, she
would be unemployed and unable to support her family.

-------------- --------------
POLITICAL OR CRIMINAL: INFORMAL CLASSIFICATION OF PRISONERS
-------------- --------------


6. (U) According to an Eritrean with experience in local law
enforcement, prisoners held in police stations are identified
as either criminal or political and are usually housed
together. Those held for criminal reasons such as theft or
fighting are usually treated with indifference by the guards
so long as the prisoner follows the rules. Those held for
political reasons such as desertion from the military, draft
dodging, or belonging to unapproved organizations, as well as
those who resist the authority of the guards, often receive
extra attention. Reportedly, this includes ridicule, being
forced to stand in the sun for hours, or even slaps and
beatings. Most abuse reportedly occurs upon entry into the
facility and may taper off. Often those singled out for
systematic abuse are segregated from the other prisoners or
transferred to one of the more notorious prisons.

-------------- --------------
ARRESTED & RELEASED, BUT NEVER CHARGED & NEVER EVER TRIED
-------------- --------------


7. (U) Prisoners brought in during mass roundups are often
released in stages, according to one Eritrean. Mothers with
babies and children are usually released within a day or two.
The remaining adults are interrogated and checked for
whether they have completed national service. Members of
unofficial religious organizations are often made to sign a
recantation of their beliefs. Most detainees who have not
run afoul of Eritrean law are usually released within a week,
but authorities are allowed to hold individuals for up to 28
days pending investigation, without any charges being filed.
Prisoners are not informed of the date or time of their
release. They are simply removed from the cell, given back
their possessions, and escorted out the front door of the
jail.


8. (U) Virtually all prisoners arrested in roundups or
believed to be political prisoners never receive notification
of charges and never have a trial. While some individuals
who are charged with crimes such as theft or assault do face
trial, many of them are just held for the period of time
equivalent to what a guilty sentence would be and then are
released. GSE law enforcement officials do not notify family
or friends, and families often spend a significant amount of
time trying to track down arrested family members in order to
provide assistance to them.

--------------
VISITING DETAINED AMERICANS
--------------


9. (C) During the recent detention of two American citizens
(non dual nationals),guards and officers at the jails
refused to allow the consular officer access to the detained
American citizens and even refused to confirm their
detention. Despite repeated attempts, at each refusal prison
officials referred Conoff to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA). At the initial contact by the Embassy with the MFA
they claimed to be unaware of the detention of Americans, a
claim that is likely true. The National Security officers
involved in many of these arrest cases feel no more
obligation to inform the MFA than they do to inform Embassies
of detained foreign nationals. Over the course of the
detention, the Embassy tried to work with the MFA to gain
access, however, was repeatedly told only that the MFA was
"working on the issue." At least in this most recent case,
we believe that the MFA lacked the authority on its own to
authorize access in any event and that it was subject to the
Office of National Security review.


10. (C) Post receives similar responses from the MFA and from
prison officials when attempting to visit detained
Eritrean-Americans. While the GSE considers them to be
Eritrean and does not notify the Embassy, often family
members in Eritrea or outside inform post of the
incarceration of an American citizen. Presently, post is
aware of one detained dual national, an 11 month old boy who
is being held with his mother. The Eritrean mother is being
held on suspicion of human smuggling, however the GSE has
filed no charges nor held a trial. Post was recently able to
see the child ) without the knowledge or permission of the
GSE - when he went to the hospital for medical treatment, but
the GSE has not permitted any visitations at the prison. For
the past three years, the GSE has neither notified the
Embassy of the arrest and detention of any American citizen,
nor permitted any visitation.


11. (U) COMMENT: With no due process and an ever growing
state of fear, Eritrean jails are being used as a means of
intimidating the population into complying with the edicts of
the GSE. While the conditions in the local jails in Asmara
may not match the horrific conditions of the prisons outside
of Asmara, the consequences of detention remain. Detained
individuals face the loss of employment, families suffer
through the absence of a wage earner and friends and family
face further persecution for being associated or trying to
assist the detained individuals. The lack of transparency
and accountability in the GSE legal processes represent a
critical aspect of the GSE's human rights abuses. END
COMMENT.
DeLisi