Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia share harrowing accounts of torture, forced labor, and dire conditions in Eritrean prisons. Their testimonies highlight a repressive system aimed at silencing dissent and enforcing indefinite military service.
Refugees who fled Eritrea to neighboring Ethiopia have described grim experiences in Eritrean detention facilities, offering rare insight into the severe repression within one of the world’s most closed-off nations.
One former prisoner, now living in Ethiopia, recounted being suspended upside down and beaten on the soles of his feet, a common method of torture. Others spoke of being confined in overcrowded underground cells, enduring forced labor, and suffering under unsanitary conditions that led to illness and death.
Eritrea, a country of 3.5 million people on the Red Sea, has gained infamy for its authoritarian rule since gaining independence in 1993. President Isaias Afwerki, the country’s only leader since then, has banned opposition, independent media, and religious practices outside of state-approved denominations. The policy of indefinite military conscription, often described as slavery, has driven many Eritreans to flee despite the risks of being shot at the border.
Prisoners described a vast network of detention centers, including military prisons where detainees are held in shipping containers or crammed into cells so tightly packed that they cannot lie down. Torture, beatings, and stress positions are routine. Conditions are dire, with limited access to medical care and basic hygiene. One former inmate described passing the bodies of deceased prisoners overhead to guards due to lack of space.
The indefinite nature of detention adds to the psychological burden. “You are never told how long you will stay,” said a preacher who was imprisoned for holding clandestine prayer meetings. He spent eight years in detention, often in airless underground cells.
Escaping Eritrea comes with risks, as refugees face potential capture, violence, and even death at the borders. One refugee shared how he was shot while fleeing, while others spoke of experiencing sexual violence. Despite the hardships, many dream of returning to a free and democratic Eritrea.
The international community has long condemned Eritrea’s human rights violations. In 2014, the UN estimated that at least 14,000 people were held in Eritrean military prisons. This figure likely increased during Eritrea’s involvement in Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 civil war, which saw a surge in forced conscription.
For Eritrean refugees, the journey to safety often leads to neighboring countries like Ethiopia, which currently hosts the largest number of Eritrean asylum seekers. However, even in exile, the memories of their homeland’s brutality linger.
One refugee summed up the plight of many: “When I left Eritrea, I was crying. I didn’t want to leave. It is a beautiful country, but there is no freedom.”