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### Viewing cable 08ASMARA546, ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08ASMARA546 | 2008-11-12 11:11 | 2010-12-15 21:09 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Asmara

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHAE #0546/01 3171146
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    R 121146Z NOV 08
    FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0009
    INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 6252
    RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJYBYUTI 3106
    RUHO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1662
    RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4773
    RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1837
    RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
    RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
    RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

` `

    SS E C R E T ASMARA 000546

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS

    DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/TIA/ITA, DS/ICI/CI,
    DS/IP/SPC/SO, DS/OPO/FLD, INR, AF/E, DRL, LONDON AND PARIS
    FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2028
    TAGS: ASEC ER PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF
    SUBJECT: ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF
     XXXXXXXXXXXX
    REF: ASMARA 509

    Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)

    ¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On XXXXXXXXXXXX  was released
    after five months in jail. XXXXXXXXXXXX emotionally
    recounted his experience to the RSO, including his interrogation,
    deplorable prison conditions, beatings, and  witnessing the torture
    of other prisoners being held at the  XXXXXXXXXXXX facility.
     XXXXXXXXXXXX  kept a prison diary and gave  different,
     but similar, versions to the RSO and XXXXXXXXXXXX.
    END SUMMARY.

    ARREST
    ------
    2 (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was assigned as a guard at the
    XXXXXXXXXXXX. On XXXXXXXXXXXX, police came to his
    residence around 6:00 a.m. and demanded to see  his  demobilization card. Such intrusions are common in May
    during the run-up to Independence Day, as the government
    increases security and also rounds up national service
    evaders. The demobilization card is proof that an Eritrean
    has completed national service, and in theory, not subject to
    call-up or arrest for service evasion. As XXXXXXXXXXXX
     was pulling  out his demobilization card, the officials spotted
    his  XXXXXXXXXXXX  ID and noted his Ethiopian last name.
    XXXXXXXXXXXX told RSO  he does not think the officials came
    to his house because he  worked for the XXXXXXXXXXXX, but
    were looking for suspicious  persons and arrested him after
    seeing  his XXXXXXXXXXXX and last  name. XXXXXXXXXXXX
    ¶3. (S/NF) Police questioned XXXXXXXXXXXX at a downtown
    police  station for about four hours. They asked about his job
    XXXXXXXXXXX, his father's last name, how many
    XXXXXXXXXXXX, and how long he had worked there.
    Later that  day, XXXXXXXXXXX was taken to the
     XXXXXXXXXXXX located  XXXXXXXXXXXX..

    DETENTION AND INTERROGATION
    ---------------------------
    ¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was placed in a cell approximately
    40 feet x  38 feet with about 600 other prisoners. He stated the
    conditions were so cramped, it was not possible to lie down
    and barely possible to sit. He was held there for one month
    before being interrogated. He was interrogated on two
    separate occasions by members of the Eritrean National
    Security Organization (ENSO), including one nicknamed
    XXXXXXXXXXXX On both occasions the interrogator beat him.
    The  interrogator asked him the following questions:

    ¶A. What was his job title and responsibilities.
    ¶B. Did he perform any other duties XXXXXXXXXXXX ,
    and why does he work there.
    ¶C. Which XXXXXXXXXXXX were spying for  XXXXXXXXXXXX
    ¶D. XXXXXXXXXXX
    ¶E. What were the religions of XXXXXXXXXXX.
    ¶F. What activities occur at the XXXXXXXXXXXX, is
    it being used as a warehouse, and what is stored there.
    ¶G. Who is the XXXXXXXXXXXX, what is his job, what
    activities does he  do at XXXXXXXXXXX, who does he
    meet with, and what parts of  Asmara does he frequent.
    ¶H. They asked about, XXXXXXXXXXXX

    XXXXXXXXXXXX stated the ENSO personnel called him a "spy
    XXXXXXXXXXXX during his interrogations. They stated they knew
    "everything that happens in the XXXXXXXXXXXX and that if
    he lied to them they would know XXXXXXXXXXXX stated he was
    simply  a guard at XXXXXXXXXXXX. He stated his job was
    to provide security XXXXXXXXXXXX The interrogator
    XXXXXXXXXXXX  later told XXXXXXXXXXXX he  must
    come at least once a week to XXXXXXXXXXXX office in
    Asmara and report all activities he observes at
    XXXXXXXXXXXX.

    XXXXXXXXXXXX.

    PRISON CONDITIONS
    -----------------
    ¶5. (S/NF) After the two interrogations, XXXXXXXXXXXX
    wasnot  questioned again, but returned to the crowded holding
    room.  Prisoners were fed 2 pieces of bread three times a day
    and  allowed to use the toilet twice a day. A bucket in the
    middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted
    bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated
    the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk
    due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of
    their mouths from thirst. XXXXXXXXXXXX said prisoners believed
    ENSO  had placed informers in the prison cell to gain additional
    information. Family members and friends are allowed to bring
    food to prisoners. One of XXXXXXXXXXXX friends smuggled
    in a  notebook and pen with a tray of food, and he chronicled his
    experience in two versions, one for the RSO and another for
    the Ambassador. XXXXXXXXXXXX smuggled the diaries
    out also using  the food trays.

    WITNESS TO TORTURE
    ------------------
    ¶6. (S/NF) The ENSO personnel regularly tortured prisoners
    imprisoned with XXXXXXXXXXXX. His cellmates were
    Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters,
    common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered
    denominations). XXXXXXXXXXXX stated they could hear the
    screams of  people being tortured and he witnessed ENSO
    staff bringing  back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the
    holding  room. On one occasion, XXXXXXXXXXXX observed
    ENSO officials beating  a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet.
    Another time,  when XXXXXXXXXXXX was allowed out to use
    the bathroom, he passed a shipping container and saw a man
    sitting with his arms tied  and raised behind his back. His feet were tied together and  a wooden pole was placed beneath his knees. He saw head with a rubber hose and wooden sticks. XXXXXXXXXXXX said ENSO later  moved the container to a more remote part of the
    Camp where other prisoners could not observe the torture.

    CHILDREN NOT SPARED
    -------------------
    ¶7. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that for a few days,
    approximately 35  boys, aged 8-13, were confined with him.
    Asked why they were  arrested, the boys said they had crossed
    into Ethiopia, but  Ethiopian soldiers caught them, and, after
     feeding them and  giving them new clothes, sent them back to
    Eritrea, telling  them they were too young to cross by themselves.
    Upon returning to Eritrea, the boys were arrested and taken to
    XXXXXXXXXXXX, and later to another prison in
     XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXXsaid ENSO  personnel also beat the boys And told the adult prisoners not  to talk to the boys or to each
    other about why they were in prison or about their beatings.

    RELEASED AFTER FIVE MONTHS
    --------------------------
    ¶8. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was angry and nearly broke
     into tears a  number of times. He said although the physical
    abuse and  deprivations took a toll on his body, it was the
    psychological abuse of being packed in with so many other
    people, of not knowing when the next beatings would come,
    and  believing he could be killed, that was the most damaging.
    XXXXXXXXXXXX has probably been more candid about
    his  experience than other XXXXXXXXXXXX who were
     incarcerated (reftel).

    ¶9. (S/NF) , XXXXXXXXXXXX was freed, with no explanation
    for his release or detention. ENSO personnel warned him
    they  would kill him if he told anyone. XXXXXXXXXXXX
     of his detention and treatment. The ENSO personnel
    refused to return his XXXXXXXXXXXX or his demobilization
    card.  XXXXXXXXXXXX believes,  XXXXXXXXXXXX, his arrest
    occurred  because the ENSO  official saw  XXXXXXXXXXXX
    and noticed  his father's  Ethiopian last name.

    XXXXXXXXXXXX

    MCMULLEN

`