Radio Erena: 22 Januray 2015
Six popular Eritrean poets, artists, and journalists who have been languishing in prison in Eritrea since February 2009 are reported to have been released yesterday the 21st of January 2015, confirmed Radio Erena sources from Eritrea.
The poets, artists, and journalists, who have been identified as Bereket Misghina, Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu, Basilios Zemo, Petros Teferi [a.k.a. Wedi Qeshi], Meles Negusse Kiflu, Ghirmay Abraham were imprisoned along with tens of members of Radio Bana in February of 2009 and that they were kept behind while most of their colleagues were released in March of 2013.
The tens of poets, artists, and journalist – mostly members of the Radio Bana run by Ministry of Education, were rounded up and put in prisons in the camps of May Sirwa and Adi Abeyto where they had been treated harshly.
Out of all those, 30 were released in March 2013, points out one of the former prisoners – Tsegay Mehari in an interview he gave earlier to Radio Erena.
According to Radio Erena sources, the six victims were held in prison without due process of law and that no formal charges have been filed to date.
Many others say that these victims, who have been playing a great role towards the growth of the Eritrean literature collectively or individually, were feared of forming a movement against the government.
Radio Erena would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the families, friends, artists community, fans of literature, and advocates of free press on the release of the six popular poets, artists, and journalists.
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