Eiraeiro prison
Secret prison in Eritrea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eiraeiro is a secret prison in Eritrea. Most sources give the location of Eiraeiro as being situated near the village of Gahtelay, in the Northern Red Sea Region.[1][2][3] However, in an article in the Guardian, Eiraeiro is cited as being located approximately 10 miles from the capital, Asmara.[4]
 Interactive map of Eiraeiro prison | |
| Location |
|
|---|---|
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum |
| Notable prisoners | |
| Dawit Isaak Haile Woldetensae | |
History and role
Little is known about Eiraeiro, it is believed to have been built in c.2003,[5][6] and used to indefinitely house political prisoners under Isaias Afwerki´s presidency. Standards of care are very poor; in 2008 it was reported that of the initial 35 prisoners, 15 had died and another 9 were in 'very poor health'.[5] Prisoners are reportedly shackled 24 hours a day, and are severely emaciated.[7] Torture is also reportedly carried out in the prison.[6] According to a Reporters Without Borders report, Eiraeiro contains 62 cells, which each measure 3 meters by 3 meters.[6] The prison has been described as a death camp.[8][9]
Many of Eiraeiro's reported prisoners are journalists and former government officials who signed a letter protesting President Isaias' rule and policies, and called for his resignation, all of whom are being held without trial, for an indefinite period of time.[10] The signatories are collectively known as the G-15. The status of the G-15 members, and that of other prisoners, is currently unknown, however in 2018 there were unconfirmed reports that former Minister of Finance and Development Haile Woldetensae had died in captivity. A former Eiraeiro guard who fled the country reported that approximately half of the imprisoned G-15 members had died by 2004.[10]
In his 2018 book Dictatorland, journalist Paul Kenyon states that it is believed that approximately 30 or so similar detention facilities are found across the country.[11]