Dissident Eritrean troops force TV director to demand release of political prisoners

Published on 21/01/2013 17:02

DISSIDENT Eritrean troops laying siege to the Red Sea state’s Ministry of Information forced the director of state television on Monday to demand on-air the release of all political prisoners, a senior intelligence source has told the Reuters news agency.

The United Nations last year estimated that 5,000-10,000 political prisoners were being held in the secretive Horn of Africa country.

Human rights groups have say torture and summary executions have been carried out in the country.

“The soldiers have forced him to speak on state TV, to say the Eritrean government should release all political prisoners,” the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.