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Episode details

World Service,02 Oct 2026,22 mins

Where are Eritrea’s missing political prisoners?

Focus on Africa

Available for over a year

Twenty-five years ago, a group of senior Eritrean politicians known as the G-15 called for democratic reform. Eleven were arrested and accused of treason. They have never been put on trial, and their families still do not know where they are. Human rights groups, including the UN, consider the G-15, prisoners of conscience and have been calling for their release. Among the detained was former defence and foreign minister, Petros Solomon. Two years later, his wife, Asther Yohannes, was also arrested. Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, has been speaking to their daughter, Hanna Petros Solomon about her search for her parents, and UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, Dr Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker about the fate of those detained. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Fana Negash and Carolyne Jotham Technical Producer: Jonathan Mwangi Senior Producers: Priyanka Sippy Editors: Daniel Dadzie, Maryam Abdalla

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