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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2020 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV SOCI ER
SUBJECT: 16 MONTHS UNDERGROUND FOR "THE WRONG RELIGION" 
 
REF: 08 ASMARA 369 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY: Selam Reta (please protect), spent 16 months 
of her life in an underground cell at the Wi'a prison and was 
subjected to daily physical torture for being a member of the 
Berhane Hiwet Evangelical Church, a banned religious group. 
Selam was released after 16 months only after developing an 
untreatable medical condition; the prison did not want her 
death on its hands.  Selam described the conditions of her 
arrest, imprisonment, physical torture, and eventual release. 
 End Summary. 
 
THE ARREST 
---------- 
 
¶2. (C) In April 2008, the Eritrean government (GSE) arrested 
Selam, whose name means "peace," and 29 other women in Keren 
while they were praying at a member's home. A local colonel, 
whose wife was also a member of the church, knew about the 
meeting and called the authorities (after warning his wife to 
stay home).  Police took Selam and the other women into 
custody and held them at the Keren police station for two 
weeks.  The 30 women were formally charged with being CIA 
agents, and were told they would be released only after 
admitting to the charge and making a formal pledge to return 
to the Eritrean Orthodox Church.  All 30 women denied the 
charge and refused to recant their faith.  They were 
subsequently taken to the W'ia military prison camp. 
 
BENEATH W,IA 
------------ 
 
¶3. (C) W'ia is located in the desert approximately 40 miles 
east of Asmara.  According to Selam, the average temperature 
above ground was 105 degrees, but even higher in the prison 
cells below.  Selam's 12' x 12' cell held 15 of the women 
from Keren plus six other prisoners.  They were given three 
or four jerry cans of water per day, but were forbidden to 
use it to shower.  The women were taken outside twice a day 
to relieve themselves. The prison did not provide food.  The 
six other prisoners shared their food with the women, but 
eventually the families of the "Keren 30" found where the 
women were being held and sent food. 
 
DAILY TORTURE 
------------- 
 
¶4. (C) "We were barefoot," Selam said, "and were made to walk 
on sharp rocks and thorns one hour each day."  Those who did 
not walk fast enough were beaten with hard, plastic rods. 
This one hour of physical abuse was the only opportunity the 
prisoners had to see sunlight.  Each night, around midnight, 
the guards would take the prisoners outside one by one and 
beat them across their legs, backs, arms, and shoulders, 
trying to draw confessions from the women.  According to 
Selam, the prison guards wanted the women to sign the 
following statement: 
 
"I admit my mistake and pledge to go back to the coptic 
(Eritrean Orthodox) church.  If I am ever found engaging in 
these activities again, then I am ready to be executed." 
 
The prison guards also exercised random physical abuse 
against the women throughout the day.  If the guards saw or 
heard the women praying, the guards would enter the cell and 
beat them until the praying ceased.  "This is hell," the 
guards would say.  "If you ever want to see heaven (the 
outside) then sign the paper."  One woman died after three 
years of such treatment (reftel).  The majority of the women 
neither signed the confession nor recanted their faith and 
are still imprisoned. 
 
RELEASE 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) When Selam was arrested, she already had problems with 
her left leg.  After months of physical abuse, her leg 
swelled to twice its normal size. (Note: Post has a photo of 
her condition and will share upon request. End Note)  One day 
Selam fainted, and was taken to the prison in Meiter for 
medical attention.  Upon arriving at the hospital in Meiter, 
the hospital's "chief commander" told her that because she 
had not recanted, she could not receive treatment.  Selam was 
promptly sent back to W'ia. 
 
¶6. (C) In June 2009, W'ia closed due to a meningitis outbreak 
and the prisoners were transferred to Meiter.  Selam was 
taken to Keren, not out of compassion for her sickness, but 
so that her death would not be "on the government's hands." 
She spent five weeks at the Keren hospital but doctors could 
not diagnose her condition.  Selam was released in July 2009 
with only the clothes on her back.  Fortunately, her mother 
lives in Keren and she is able to stay with her. 
 
SELAM TODAY 
----------- 
 
¶7. (C) Selam walks slowly, and with a slight limp.  She is 
softspoken but speaks freely of her ordeal.  Most 
surprisingly, she is forgiving.  When asked if she bore any 
ill-feelings towards her abusers, she quietly replied "No, I 
love them."  Selam's injuries left her unable to work and she 
is still living with her mother.  Before her arrest, Selam 
spent her time helping family members cope with the 
imprisonment of loved ones arrested for being members of 
unapproved religious groups.  Now, she spends her time 
praying. 
McMullen