16 MONTHS UNDERGROUND FOR "THE WRONG RELIGION"

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000016

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2020
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV SOCI ER
SUBJECT: 16 MONTHS UNDERGROUND FOR "THE WRONG RELIGION"

REF: 08 ASMARA 369

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Selam Reta (please protect),spent 16 months
of her life in an underground cell at the Wi'a prison and was
subjected to daily physical torture for being a member of the
Berhane Hiwet Evangelical Church, a banned religious group.
Selam was released after 16 months only after developing an
untreatable medical condition; the prison did not want her
death on its hands. Selam described the conditions of her
arrest, imprisonment, physical torture, and eventual release.
End Summary.

THE ARREST
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2. (C) In April 2008, the Eritrean government (GSE) arrested
Selam, whose name means "peace," and 29 other women in Keren
while they were praying at a member's home. A local colonel,
whose wife was also a member of the church, knew about the
meeting and called the authorities (after warning his wife to
stay home). Police took Selam and the other women into
custody and held them at the Keren police station for two
weeks. The 30 women were formally charged with being CIA
agents, and were told they would be released only after
admitting to the charge and making a formal pledge to return
to the Eritrean Orthodox Church. All 30 women denied the
charge and refused to recant their faith. They were
subsequently taken to the W'ia military prison camp.

BENEATH W,IA
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3. (C) W'ia is located in the desert approximately 40 miles
east of Asmara. According to Selam, the average temperature
above ground was 105 degrees, but even higher in the prison
cells below. Selam's 12' x 12' cell held 15 of the women
from Keren plus six other prisoners. They were given three
or four jerry cans of water per day, but were forbidden to
use it to shower. The women were taken outside twice a day
to relieve themselves. The prison did not provide food. The
six other prisoners shared their food with the women, but
eventually the families of the "Keren 30" found where the
women were being held and sent food.

DAILY TORTURE
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4. (C) "We were barefoot," Selam said, "and were made to walk
on sharp rocks and thorns one hour each day." Those who did
not walk fast enough were beaten with hard, plastic rods.
This one hour of physical abuse was the only opportunity the
prisoners had to see sunlight. Each night, around midnight,
the guards would take the prisoners outside one by one and
beat them across their legs, backs, arms, and shoulders,
trying to draw confessions from the women. According to
Selam, the prison guards wanted the women to sign the
following statement:

"I admit my mistake and pledge to go back to the coptic
(Eritrean Orthodox) church. If I am ever found engaging in
these activities again, then I am ready to be executed."

The prison guards also exercised random physical abuse
against the women throughout the day. If the guards saw or
heard the women praying, the guards would enter the cell and
beat them until the praying ceased. "This is hell," the
guards would say. "If you ever want to see heaven (the
outside) then sign the paper." One woman died after three
years of such treatment (reftel). The majority of the women
neither signed the confession nor recanted their faith and
are still imprisoned.

RELEASE
--------------


5. (C) When Selam was arrested, she already had problems with
her left leg. After months of physical abuse, her leg
swelled to twice its normal size. (Note: Post has a photo of
her condition and will share upon request. End Note) One day
Selam fainted, and was taken to the prison in Meiter for
medical attention. Upon arriving at the hospital in Meiter,
the hospital's "chief commander" told her that because she
had not recanted, she could not receive treatment. Selam was
promptly sent back to W'ia.


6. (C) In June 2009, W'ia closed due to a meningitis outbreak
and the prisoners were transferred to Meiter. Selam was
taken to Keren, not out of compassion for her sickness, but
so that her death would not be "on the government's hands."
She spent five weeks at the Keren hospital but doctors could
not diagnose her condition. Selam was released in July 2009
with only the clothes on her back. Fortunately, her mother
lives in Keren and she is able to stay with her.

SELAM TODAY
--------------


7. (C) Selam walks slowly, and with a slight limp. She is
softspoken but speaks freely of her ordeal. Most
surprisingly, she is forgiving. When asked if she bore any
ill-feelings towards her abusers, she quietly replied "No, I
love them." Selam's injuries left her unable to work and she
is still living with her mother. Before her arrest, Selam
spent her time helping family members cope with the
imprisonment of loved ones arrested for being members of
unapproved religious groups. Now, she spends her time
praying.
McMullen