On 24 May 1993, Eritrea was formally recognised as an independent nation after a UN-supervised referendum that confirmed the country's separation from Ethiopia, against whom it had fought a 30-year war. Twenty years on from the euphoric celebrations and promise of independence, thousands of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners languish in Eritrea's prisons without charge or trial, for expressing their opinion, practising their religion or attempting to flee the repression in their country.
Throughout the 20 years of Eritrea's independence, the government of President Isaias Afewerki has systematically used arbitrary arrest and detention to crush all opposition, to silence all dissent, and to punish anyone who refuses to comply with the repressive system. Thousands of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners have disappeared into secret and incommunicado arbitrary detention -- without charge or trial, and with no contact with the outside world.
