Eritrean Embassy in the UK’s attempt to silence Assenna collapses
London, 5 March 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Eritrean Embassy in the UK’s attempt to silence Assenna collapses
The Eritrean government has repeatedly attempted to silence the international media reporting on the situation in the country. Visas are seldom issued to international journalists and their visits carefully controlled. These attempt at censorship have been supplemented by attacks abroad.
The Eritrean government has attempted to halt broadcasts of satellite television Assenna (Atv) several times. The latest attempt to silence Amanuel Eyasu, the founder, executive and editor of Assenna TV has failed.
On 8 July 2020 the UK Counter Terrorism Policing wrote to Amanuel saying the Eritrean Embassy in London had lodged a complaint about Assenna broadcasts. The letter said that “a report has been made regarding broadcasts on the Assenna TV.” The police said they were considering the complaint in terms of Section 1 of the Terrorism Act of 2006, and Inciting Terrorism Overseas under Section 59 of Terrorism Act of 2000. Subsequent to this, the police spent a lot of time considering the allegations, including having a huge volume of video footage translated from Tigrinya into English.
Assenna Foundation decided to fight what we believed were baseless allegations and enlisted the services of Duncan Lewis as our lawyers. Their legal team spent hours looking at the details, spoke with Amanuel and the Chairperson of Assenna Foundation, Habte Hagos. The lawyers also accompanied Amanuel in his voluntary interviews with the police.
We explained in detail, and provided documentary evidence, about the Eritrean government’s involvement in terrorist activities in the Horn of Africa. It was as a result of these activities that the UN Security Council imposed sanctions against the Eritrean government for 9 years. We pointed to the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry’s that the “Eritrean Government was accused of committing crimes against humanity”, not only once, but twice. Based on this, we requested the police re-examine the evidence that was the basis of the allegations. To their credit the police undertook this, as well as commissioning a second translation of the material.
Eight months later, on 1 March 2021, the police sent a letter to the Assenna Foundation stating unequivocally that: “The translated contents of the videos as you are aware, have been reviewed by the Counter Terrorist Internet Referral Unit and passed on to the Crown Prosecution service who have completed a review of the potential offences that may have been committed under section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 and as a result of the review no charges are brought against you”.
Assenna Foundation and Amanuel Eyasu were exonerated of all charges.
Habte Hagos, said “I did not have the slightest doubt that Amanuel would be cleared of all the allegations from the outset, because he broadcasted the truth and I have full confidence in the Metropolitan Police and the UK judicial system. Nevertheless, I am delighted Amanuel has been formally cleared of all the charges but equally saddened by the case. I am sad because such trumpeted up and fabricated allegations by the Eritrean government result in the abduction, rape, torture, disappearance and killings of innocent people in our country”.
Amanuel for his part said, ‘Had I been in Eritrea, I would have ended up in prison, or been killed like the dozens of Eritrean journalists whose whereabouts are unknown. I will continue to be the voice of the voiceless, until the rule of law and freedom of expression I am experiencing here in the UK, prevails in Eritrea.’
Background to this case
This is by no means the first attack on journalists and the media engaged with Eritrea in the UK.
In November 2018, a group of gangsters used by the Eritrean regime, physically and verbally assaulted Mr Martin Plaut, a former BBC Africa Editor and an expert on the Horn of Africa. The ring leader was apprehended by the police, convicted in a Magistrate Court where he received a criminal record, suspended prison sentence and a fine. Then in November 2019, having spent a year in Eritrea, he committed a similar attack. This time on Amanuel Eyasu, the founder, executive and editor of Assenna Foundation. He was again arrested by the police and brought to justice where he received a lengthy suspended prison sentence and a fine.
In conclusion, we would like to remind members of the Eritrean diaspora to remain vigilant against possible attacks by supporters of the Eritrean regime. An attack on anyone of us is an attack on us all. We will continue to fight injustice with justice.
Assenna Foundation
Long live assenna the light house of Eritreans. Our hope and pride we will stand with you till the end of PFDJ.
I imagined Assenna and Amanuel would be a headache to the PFDJ. Now this info proves that Assenna is giving the PFDJ a run for its money. This shows the PFDJ sees Amanuel as a threat to its undeserved power. It appears to me we are close to a political condition where there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. Congratulations to Amanuel for receiving this badge of honor complaint from the PFDJ.
Subject: “Eritrean Embassy in the UK’s attempt to silence Assenna collapses, London, 5 March 2021
Shocking Response
This is a disgrace and criminal Act.
Eritrea which fought for thirty (30) years, and lost its precious citizens,to attain FREEDOM > LIBERTY > DEMOCRACY, only to plunge into a dirty swamp of its own!!! It is historical deception that can never be forgotten, no matter what the DESTINY of future Eritrea may be.
As to “the latest attempt to silence Amanuel Eyasu, the founder, executive and editor of Assenna TV” the Tigrigna saying is most appropriate: እንቋዕ ብዳሓን ኣዉጻኣካ።
Finally, as the Press Release rightly concluded>>> Quote “An attack on anyone of us is an attack on us all.” Unquote. So true and valid. In that case, Eritreans are called upon to concentrate on ONE, AND ONLY ONE, target I.e. to bring down the self-appointed president from his post. It is a civilized and democratic duty and a challenge to Eritreans who have the inherent right to protect Eritrea that came to reality after horrendous sacrifice during a thirty-year war. Frivolous as it may sound, Eritrea does NOT belong to one person but to five million Eritreans. And, DEAR ERITREANS, if — to our horror —the self-appointed president finds a majority of supporters, by hook or by crook, then the destiny of Eritrea is sealed for ever by a single ordinary human creature. In that case, Eritreans have no body to blame but themselves. As a matter of fact, history seems to nag us to the historical fact that Eritrea has been under different powers for seemingly time immemorial. This MOMENT is a chance for Eritreans to reverse the course of Eritrean History. The self-appointed president also seems to challenge us as if to say >>> “HERE IS THE HORSE; AND HERE IS THE WIDE FIELD.” It is a bold challenge. What will it be?
THE END, either way.
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P.S.
By the way, insulting each other on the Internet will NEVER solve our problem and lead us to the way of Freedom, Liberty and Prosperity.
Yes indeed Assena is a thorn in HGDEF’s shida.
Let’s face it, anyone who is a PFDJ, an Embassy staff or clique of Isaias must have a degraded brain power and an IQ that is he lowest of the low.
It is impossible to fathom how any one can support someone who comes to burn their house or kill their family. Would anyone give a match to an arsonist to burn their home? Yet, PFDJ deluded members are doing exactly that.
If you ask these PFDJ members what PFDJ stands for, they have no clue and simply see it as one and the as Isaias.
Eritrea forever, death to dictatorship.
Trying to silence Assenna is tantamount to muzzling the voices of 5 million Eritreans.
Tyrants and dictators such as DIA have long sought to silence, intimidate, and harm journalists but vain. Media/Internet/Facebook/Twitter etc) are hunting grounds for tyrants who cannot tolerate freedom of speech.
That is why DIA started out by shutting down our independent media and jailing our journalists.
It is time to convey the message to the Dictator in Adi Halo and his cronies in the diaspora that their futile attempt to stifle the voices of the voiceless Eritreans will be nipped in the bud no matter where.
Eritreans will continue to support the independent media to counter the propaganda machines of HGDEF, which disseminate lies and fake news to our people.
Long live Assenna, the vice of the voiceless.
My congratulations to the advocate, defender and leader of the First Amendment vanguard of the Eritrean Diaspora Mr.Amanuel Eyassu and Assena for legally crashing the frivolous attempt of the Eritrean regime to silence you.
You unflinching stand to be the voice for the voiceless Eritreans under the totalitarian tyrant Isaias Afeworki is extremely appreciated. Continue standing firm a becon of Freedom of Speech.
Asena, you are the guard of the Eritrean people and sovereignty. Keep exposing Dictator Essays. Your programs are enlightening your people who are inside Eritrea and the diaspora.