11 former Eritrean government officials- Petros Solomon,...

11 former Eritrean government officials- Petros Solomon, Ogbe Abraha, Haile Woldetensae, Mahmud Ahmed Sheriffo, Berhane Ghebre Eghzabiher, Astier Feshatsion, Saleh Kekya, Hamid Himid, Estifanos Seyoum, Germano Nati and Beraki Ghebre Selassie - were arrested in Asmara on 18 and 19 September 2001.
The government has reportedly announced that these 11, who have recently been openly critical of Eritrean government policies, have been detained "because of crimes committed against the nation's security and sovereignty."
They face a potential death penalty for treason.
The 11 were part of a group of 15 senior officials of the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) party who, in May 2001, wrote an open letter to party members criticizing the government for acting in an "illegal and unconstitutional" manner.
The letter also called upon "all PFDJ members and the Eritrean people in general to express their opinion through legal and democratic means and to give their support to the goals and principles they consider just."
Some of the group of 15 who were holding ministerial positions at that time were subsequently removed from their posts. One of the group later recanted and the other three are reportedly out of the country.
Amnesty International fears that they could be arrested if they returned to Eritrea.
The whereabouts of the 11 are currently unknown. They were been given access to their families or lawyers and there are growing fears about their safety. There are also fears that around 60 of their supporters may have been arrested as well.