Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE) is deeply concerned that the very poor conditions in Eritrea’s prisons make them likely receptors for the spread of the Covid-19 infection, and a huge wave of the infection could spread rapidly through the whole prison complex. There is an urgent need for the mass release of prisoners.

The Eritrean authorities have so far reported only 33 cases of Covid-19 and one death from it in the whole country. These figures are not verifiable, since no independent media or journalists are permitted in Eritrea, and are likely to be serious underestimates. Eritrea rates as one of the worst states for transparency and provision of trustworthy information by the government. 

Eritrea has a huge prison population, including an estimated 10,000 prisoners of conscience, and prison conditions are known to be some of the very worst in the African continent. Hygiene standards are known to be extremely poor, indeed largely non-existent in many prisons. Running water and washing facilities, toilets and sanitation are largely absent.  Medical treatment and the monitoring of prisoners’ health is rarely available. There is extreme overcrowding, with (for example) some 500 prisoners kept together in one huge hall, and large numbers kept in primitive and overcrowded shipping containers. These conditions are likely to help the viral infection to spread very rapidly, and thousands of prisoners could die once the virus has entered the system.

HRCE was clandestinely informed of these conditions by some prisoners of conscience from inside Eritrea, and it seems nothing has changed in regard to their harsh circumstances, and they fear for their life if the virus reaches their prisons.

Human Rights Concern Eritrea wishes to underline these concerns with great urgency. Elizabeth Chyrum, Director of HRCE, commented: “A huge death toll from Covid-19 among Eritrea’s prison population is extremely likely if the government does not take immediate action to release all prisoners of conscience and short-term detainees.”

Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
eritrea.facts@gmail.com
www.hrc-eritrea.org

16 April 2020