Six people representing, Belarus, Burma, Syria, Eritrea, Cuba and Uzbekistan will participate in a panel discussion on prisoners of conscience in the UN headquarters today, Thursday, July 24, 2008.  Eritrea will be represented by Ms. Senait Yohannes. 

Entitled, “COURAGEOUS VOICES SPEAKING OUT FOR PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE,” the discussion is organized by the US Mission to the UN and will be moderated by Ambassador T. Vance McMahan, US representative to Economic and Social Council.

Senait Yohannes, who now lives in Canada, has a compelling story to share.

Senait is the sister of Ms. Aster Yohannes who has been arrested without charges since December 11, 2003. 

Aster's husband, Mr. Petros Solomon, has been arrested without charges since September 18, 2001.  

Like all prisoners of conscience, Petros and Aster were never brought to a court of law, never given a chance to defend themselves, never told of the charges against them.  They do not have visitation rights and, in fact, there is no information on their whereabouts, or even whether they are alive or dead.

As Petros Solomon was one of the "G-15", the sequence of events that preceded his arrest are well known.   Less known is the story of Aster Yohannes. 

Aster was in the United States, enrolled at a university, when her husband was arrested.   After completing her studies in the United States, she wanted to return to her country and asked for assurances from Eritrean government officials that she would be safe.  She was given repeated gurantees, including from the former Eritrean ambassador to the US, Girma Asmerom.   She flew back to Eritrea and, while her children awaited her arrival with flowers, she was whisked away by security officers from Asmara Airport. 

68 United States congressman petitioned the government of Eritrea to urge for her release in January 2004--a petition that was ignored.  In addition to politicians, ordinary Americans have also rallied to her defense and set up a friends of Aster network.  

Senait was nominated by the Eritrean Global Solidarity (EGS) to represent Eritrea. Mr. Semere Habtemariam, Director General of EGS, explained that “Senait was chosen because she has close family members in jail and can relate to the plight of prisoners on a personal level.” Senait expressed her gratitude to the US mission for offering “this opportunity to explain the plight of Eritrean prisoners.”

Mr. Daniel Tewelde is representing the EGS Director General and accompanying Senait.