TUC condemns Eritrean trade union arrests

Mr Negassi Sengal Ghebrezghi
Ambassador for Eritrea
Embassy of Eritrea
96 White Lion Street
London N1 9PF

Dear Mr Ambassador

Detention of Trade Unionists

I write to express our deep concern over the arrest on 30 March 2005, and continued detention of, Mr Tewelde Ghebremedhin, Chairperson of the IUF-affiliated Food, Beverages, Hotels, Tourism, Agriculture and Tobacco Workers Federation, Mr Minase Andezion, Secretary of the Textile and Leather Workers' Union, and Mr Habtom Weldemicael (arrested on or around 9 April 2005), Head of the Coca-Cola Workers Union in Eritrea.

Our information is that the three trade union leaders have been held incommunicado with no access to lawyers since their arrests. It does appear that the officials concerned are held in detention on account of their trade union activities. I should like to draw your attention to the fact that they are being detained in violation of Eritrean laws which stipulate that they be brought before a magistrate within 48 hours of their arrest.

The arrest and detention of trade unionists for organising activities relating to the exercise of their legitimate rights is a clear violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work that all member countries including Eritrea are required to abide by. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(2000) and Convention 87 (2000), is obliged to observe the workers’ rights enshrined in them. We urge you to use your influence with your Government to ensure that detained trade unionists are released without delay and that freedom of expression and fundamental rights of workers are respected in line with its international obligations.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber
General Secretary