ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF

SS E C R E T ASMARA 000546 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/ICI/CI, DS/IP/SPC/SO, DS/OPO/FLD, INR, AF/E, DRL, LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2028 TAGS: ASEC ER PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF SUBJECT: ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF XXXXXXXXXXXX REF: ASMARA 509 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On XXXXXXXXXXXX was released after five months in jail. XXXXXXXXXXXX emotionally recounted his experience to the RSO, including his interrogation, deplorable prison conditions, beatings, and witnessing the torture of other prisoners being held at the XXXXXXXXXXXX facility. XXXXXXXXXXXX kept a prison diary and gave different, but similar, versions to the RSO and XXXXXXXXXXXX. END SUMMARY. ARREST -------------- 2 (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was assigned as a guard at the XXXXXXXXXXXX. On XXXXXXXXXXXX, police came to his residence around 6:00 a.m. and demanded to see his demobilization card. Such intrusions are common in May during the run-up to Independence Day, as the government increases security and also rounds up national service evaders. The demobilization card is proof that an Eritrean has completed national service, and in theory, not subject to call-up or arrest for service evasion. As XXXXXXXXXXXX was pulling out his demobilization card, the officials spotted his XXXXXXXXXXXX ID and noted his Ethiopian last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX told RSO he does not think the officials came to his house because he worked for the XXXXXXXXXXXX, but were looking for suspicious persons and arrested him after seeing his XXXXXXXXXXXX and last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX ¶3. (S/NF) Police questioned XXXXXXXXXXXX at a downtown police station for about four hours. They asked about his job XXXXXXXXXXX, his father's last name, how many XXXXXXXXXXXX, and how long he had worked there. Later that day, XXXXXXXXXXX was taken to the XXXXXXXXXXXX located XXXXXXXXXXXX.. DETENTION AND INTERROGATION -------------- ¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was placed in a cell approximately 40 feet x 38 feet with about 600 other prisoners. He stated the conditions were so cramped, it was not possible to lie down and barely possible to sit. He was held there for one month before being interrogated. He was interrogated on two separate occasions by members of the Eritrean National Security Organization (ENSO),including one nicknamed XXXXXXXXXXXX On both occasions the interrogator beat him. The interrogator asked him the following questions: 
¶A. What was his job title and responsibilities. ¶B. Did he perform any other duties XXXXXXXXXXXX , and why does he work there. ¶C. Which XXXXXXXXXXXX were spying for XXXXXXXXXXXX ¶D. XXXXXXXXXXX ¶E. What were the religions of XXXXXXXXXXX. ¶F. What activities occur at the XXXXXXXXXXXX, is it being used as a warehouse, and what is stored there. ¶G. Who is the XXXXXXXXXXXX, what is his job, what activities does he do at XXXXXXXXXXX, who does he meet with, and what parts of Asmara does he frequent. ¶H. They asked about, XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX stated the ENSO personnel called him a "spy XXXXXXXXXXXX during his interrogations. They stated they knew "everything that happens in the XXXXXXXXXXXX and that if he lied to them they would know XXXXXXXXXXXX stated he was simply a guard at XXXXXXXXXXXX. He stated his job was to provide security XXXXXXXXXXXX The interrogator XXXXXXXXXXXX later told XXXXXXXXXXXX he must come at least once a week to XXXXXXXXXXXX office in Asmara and report all activities he observes at XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX. PRISON CONDITIONS -------------- ¶5. (S/NF) After the two interrogations, XXXXXXXXXXXX wasnot questioned again, but returned to the crowded holding room. Prisoners were fed 2 pieces of bread three times a day and allowed to use the toilet twice a day. A bucket in the middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths from thirst. XXXXXXXXXXXX said prisoners believed ENSO had placed informers in the prison cell to gain additional information. Family members and friends are allowed to bring food to prisoners. One of XXXXXXXXXXXX friends smuggled in a notebook and pen with a tray of food, and he chronicled his experience in two versions, one for the RSO and another for the Ambassador. XXXXXXXXXXXX smuggled the diaries out also using the food trays. WITNESS TO TORTURE -------------- ¶6. (S/NF) The ENSO personnel regularly tortured prisoners imprisoned with XXXXXXXXXXXX. His cellmates were Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters, common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered denominations). XXXXXXXXXXXX stated they could hear the screams of people being tortured and he witnessed ENSO staff bringing back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the holding room. On one occasion, XXXXXXXXXXXX observed ENSO officials beating a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet. Another time, when XXXXXXXXXXXX was allowed out to use the bathroom, he passed a shipping container and saw a man sitting with his arms tied and raised behind his back. His feet were tied together and a wooden pole was placed beneath his knees. He saw head with a rubber hose and wooden sticks. XXXXXXXXXXXX said ENSO later moved the container to a more remote part of the Camp where other prisoners could not observe the torture. CHILDREN NOT SPARED -------------- ¶7. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that for a few days, approximately 35 boys, aged 8-13, were confined with him. Asked why they were arrested, the boys said they had crossed into Ethiopia, but Ethiopian soldiers caught them, and, after feeding them and giving them new clothes, sent them back to Eritrea, telling them they were too young to cross by themselves. Upon returning to Eritrea, the boys were arrested and taken to XXXXXXXXXXXX, and later to another prison in XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXXsaid ENSO personnel also beat the boys And told the adult prisoners not to talk to the boys or to each other about why they were in prison or about their beatings. RELEASED AFTER FIVE MONTHS -------------- ¶8. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was angry and nearly broke into tears a number of times. He said although the physical abuse and deprivations took a toll on his body, it was the psychological abuse of being packed in with so many other people, of not knowing when the next beatings would come, and believing he could be killed, that was the most damaging. XXXXXXXXXXXX has probably been more candid about his experience than other XXXXXXXXXXXX who were incarcerated (reftel). ¶9. (S/NF) , XXXXXXXXXXXX was freed, with no explanation for his release or detention. ENSO personnel warned him they would kill him if he told anyone. XXXXXXXXXXXX of his detention and treatment. The ENSO personnel refused to return his XXXXXXXXXXXX or his demobilization card. XXXXXXXXXXXX believes, XXXXXXXXXXXX, his arrest occurred because the ENSO official saw XXXXXXXXXXXX and noticed his father's Ethiopian last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX MCMULLEN