FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EYSC Launches Petition to Free Eritrea’s Political Prisoners

August 20, 2011 - Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC), a world-wide network of pro-democracy Eritreans, today announced the launching of a month-long petition drive to release all of Eritrea’s prisoners of conscience.

In this petition, EYSC is calling upon all who value freedom and justice to sign the petition and stand beside the victims of dictatorship in Eritrea.  EYSC is asking for your help to pressure the Eritrean Government to immediately release the journalists, religious leaders, military officials, cabinet ministers, community leaders who were arrested almost 10 years ago on September 18, 2001, and the thousands of other lesser known citizens who were detained before and after that date. 

There are indeed thousands of political prisoners in Eritrea. They have committed no crime. These brave men and women have been placed behind bars without any due legal process and under extremely harsh conditions, for simply calling for political reform or practicing their chosen spiritual faith.

With this petition drive, EYSC’s goal is to collect signatures of Eritreans and their friends from around the world and present it to Isaias Afworki’s government and bring the worlds attention to this issue as the 10^th anniversary of the mass arrest approaches.  EYSC is also calling upon the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) to get involved and secure the release of these victims. 

Please join this initiative by the Eritrean youth and be a voice of the voiceless and sign the petition now.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/eysc/

CONTACT:

EYSC Administrators

Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC)

Email: Info@eysc.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/eritreanyouth/

Website: www.eysc.net