Background
Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 1993 after 30 years of fighting
for liberation. The country has since the independence been ruled by one party,
now named the People's Front for Democracy and Justice, PFDJ, under the
leadership of Issayas Afewerki. Eritrea's new Constitution (1997) allowed
for the formation of multiple political parties, but the democratization process
was postponed during the 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia. The government has not
allowed the development of an independent civil society outside the ruling PFDJ
or its affiliated organizations. A Press Law introduced in 1996 permitted privately-owned
newspapers, which became the vehicle for public expression of criticisms against
the government. Journalists from the private press became increasingly subject
to intimidation, harassment, short-term arrests, conscription into army and
charges under the Press Law or the Penal Code, although no charges actually
proceeded to trial.