Eritrea has been ruled by its infamous dictator Isaias Afwerki since it was declared independent in 1993. Over the last two and a half decades, the country has been mired in totalitarianism, mass arrests, and conscription.
Access to information is highly restricted, censorship is the norm, and freedom of speech is non-existent. Frontline PBS brought This reality to the limelight through a Peabody Award-winning documentary – “Escaping Eritrea”. It presents a powerful and in-depth look at life under Afwerki’s rule.
The film features footage secretly shot inside the country’s military prisons that hold 10s of 1,000s of the regime’s political opponents, where prisoners endure extreme abuse and torture. In such a hostile climate, countless families struggle to get by and depend on the regime’s mercy.
Escaping Eritrea presents a raw and unstoppable reminder of how human rights are continuously violated by the state, and offers a poignant view of why the fight for freedom and democracy is so essential for its people.
