International writers demand proof of life for 12 Eritrean authors detained since 2001

More than 180 writers have signed a letter addressed to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki demanding proof of life for twelve authors who have been detained incommunicado since the government’s 2001 crackdown on independent media. The appeal, organized by PEN International and dated 18 September, marks the 25th anniversary of the crackdown that effectively eliminated Eritrea’s free press. Among the signatories are Nobel laureates Olga Tokarczuk and J M Coetzee, as well as internationally recognized authors such as Colm Tóibín, Elif Shafak, Isabel Allende, Ben Okri, Yann Martel, Kamila Shamsie and Tsitsi Dangarembga.

The letter notes that within days of the 2001 operation, Eritrea’s independent voices were systematically crushed, leaving the twelve writers’ whereabouts and condition unknown for more than two decades. By rallying a broad coalition of literary figures, the petition seeks to pressure the Eritrean authorities to disclose the status of the detained writers and to reaffirm commitments to freedom of expression. The initiative underscores ongoing international concern over Eritrea’s human‑rights record and the unresolved fate of those imprisoned for their work.