Among the hundreds of prisoners incarcerated in Asmara�s Karsheli prison, there are many foreigners, including at least two Yemenis and an Indian national, according to reliable sources.  Like all Eritrean prisoners, they have not been charged with any crimes.

The two Yemenis are Mr. Sherif Ahmed Nasser and his secretary, Said.  The two, along with Mr. Sherif Nasser�s Indian chief engineer, whose name has not been ascertained, were arrested in April 2004.

Mr. Sherif Ahmed Nasser, who is 41 years old, was arrested at Asmara International Airport while en route to Port Sudan.  He is reportedly a businessman who had arrived in Eritrea a few months earlier and was in the process of setting up an office in Massawa. 

In addition to arresting him and his staff, the government of Eritrea has confiscated his boats.

Mr. Sherif Ahmed Nasser�s mother is reportedly a Tanzanian and his wife and children, who are unaware of his whereabouts, reside in Oman.

Background

Eritrea and Yemen have had several disputes on fishing rights on the Red Sea.  Since 1993, the Eritrean government has been accused by Yemen, as well as Egypt, of arresting its nationals and confiscating their boats.    The conflict with Yemen escalated into a full-fledged battle in 1995 which resulted in a UN Security Council resolution and referral of the case to The Hague for arbitration.  The Hague issued its ruling in 1998, awarding most of the disputed territories to Yemen.

However, the ruling has not permanently settled the issue.  As recently as June 18, Yemen�s President, Ali Abdella Saleh, was alleging that a Yemeni fisherman was killed and his boat confiscated in Eritrea�s territorial waters.