Journalists Imprisoned in 2017 - Jim'ie Kimeil
| Publisher | Committee to Protect Journalists |
| Publication Date | 31 December 2017 |
| Cite as | Committee to Protect Journalists, Journalists Imprisoned in 2017 - Jim'ie Kimeil, 31 December 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a5c939d4.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Eritrea al-Haditha | Imprisoned in Eritrea | November 01, 2005
| Job: | Print Reporter |
| Medium: | |
| Beats Covered: | Sports |
| Gender: | Male |
| Local or Foreign: | Local |
| Freelance: | No |
| Charge: | No charge |
| Length of Sentence: | Not Sentenced |
| Reported Health Problems: | No |
Eritrean authorities arrested Jim'ie Kimeil, investigative journalist and sports editor of the Arabic-language newspaper Eritrea al-Haditha, in November, 2005, according to a report by the news website Sudan Tribune, research by the diaspora-run Radio Erena, and Mohammed Hiyabu, an exiled journalist who told CPJ that he used work with Jim'ie and has written a report about him.
According to PEN International, authorities arrested Jim'ie on November 24 or 25, 2005.
Jim'ie was not listed on CPJ's annual prison census until 2017 when the organization became aware of his case. The government of Eritrea has never confirmed his imprisonment.
Authorities detained Jim'ie in a wave of arrests of 13 other prominent figures in politics and the arts, according to Mohammed, and the Sudan Tribune indicated the journalist was arrested alongside "dozens" of other Eritrean citizens.
The reason for Jim'ie's arrest is not clear. CPJ research has found that state media journalists work in a climate of intimidation and absolute control.
Prior to his arrest, the journalist's criticism of the government had caused tension with his employer, Eritrea al-Haditha, which is published by Eritrea's information ministry, according to Mohammed.
Mohammed said that Jim'ie often criticized government policies at staff meetings at the information ministry. In one example of critical reporting in 2001, Jim'ie wrote about a government decision to give a visiting International Olympic Committee delegate a cross, a symbol that he argued was an inappropriate representation of a multi-religious country. After the article was published, Jim'ie was warned by authorities to cease critical writing.
Radio Erena, PEN Eritrea in Exile, and U.K.-based Eritrean journalist Amal Saleh have reported that there have been rumors that Jim'ie was killed in 2007, but the sources have not independently confirmed that the journalist was killed. CPJ has been unable to independently confirm the reports and lists Jim'ie on the prison census to hold the government accountable for his fate.
In October 2017, CPJ wrote to the Eritrea's information ministry asking for information on the well-being and whereabouts of Jim'ie and all other imprisoned Eritrean journalists. Responding on behalf of the ministry, Paulos Netabay, the Eritrean News Agency director, declined to comment on the specific case of Jim'ie.
Paulos told CPJ that the police and prison authorities were the only government bodies that could answer some of the questions on the cases of imprisoned journalists. CPJ's efforts to reach these authorities independently were unsuccessful.
