The Eritrean embassy in Libya visits several prison centers in the country with the aim of picking up selected individuals in its ‘wanted’ list.
source: http://assenna.com/english/news/2234-the-eritrean-embassy-in-libya-has-been-visiting-several-prison-centers-in-the-country-with-the-aim-of-picking-up-selected-individuals-in-its-wanted-list.html
Thursday, 31 December 2009 19:47
According to information coming out of the detention centers in Libya, taking advantage of the festive mood in the west, the Eritrean embassy there has been visiting several prisons in the country, with the aim of picking up “selected individuals” in its “wanted list”.
The sources say, initially, the employees of the embassy were trying to cheat the Eritrean prisoners that they will help them if they want to go back to Eritrea voluntarily. Following the failure of their approach however, they have started forcing them to fill out and sign a form and to provide two photos.
“Our Eritrean brothers and sisters are still refusing to do what they are told to do by the Eritrean Embassy. But the Libyan police are beating them up to obey the orders. This is happening in prison centers where Eritreans are detained, including the biggest detention center, Misrata. At this very moment, the Libyan police are beating Eritrean women arrested at Zawya prison camp” said the sources.
They are particularly alarmed by the fact that, the Eritrean prisoners are being forced to do blood test. So far, the Libyan police have isolated 21 people in a separate place for “medical reasons”, a pretext to deport them back to Eritrea. One source said, “my understanding is, this people are may be badly needed by the Eritrean government.” Five more prisoners from a different prison camp have also been isolated in a similar manner. Please share this information to all concerned organizations and individuals who can help. The Eritrean and Libyan authorities are taking this action at this moment in time thinking their activities will be unnoticed that everyone is in a holyday mood.
Libya is the only country that has opposed the recent UNSC sanction against the Eritrean government.
In the past, Libya had deported several hundred detainees back to Eritrea, in coordination with the Eritrean authorities. And they have all ended up in the infamous secret prisons, straight from Asmara Airport. But the second attempt to deport Eritrean detainees failed after the victims who were well aware of the torture awaiting them in Eritrea forced the Libyan pilot to land in Khartoum Airport.