Rights group Amnesty International is waging a campaign to demand that the Eritrean government release 21 political prisoners who were arrested in a sweeping crackdown 20 years ago.

In September 2001, the government shutdown the country’s independent media and arrested 11 politicians who publicly criticized President Isaias Afewerki, and 10 journalists who published their call for reforms.

The government says those arrested were a threat to national security.

The detainees have never been charged, and their whereabouts are unknown.

Amnesty's campaign is taking place on Twitter under the hashtag #WhereAreEritreasDissidents?

https://twitter.com/AmnestyEARO/status/1439978506679693325

Eritrea has not held elections since independence in 1993, and President Isaias has been in power for nearly 28 years.

Amnesty has documented extremely poor prison conditions in Eritrea, in some cases amounting to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Eritreans in the diaspora and family members of the detained political prisoners also plan to hold exhibitions around the world over the next 12 months to draw attention to the plight of the detainees.

In 2022, it will be exhibited at the House of Commons in London and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and various Amnesty International branches.