Italian Human Rights defender injured

A human rights defender who was seriously injured when rocks and bottles were thrown at her while peacefully protesting at an Eritrean-government sponsored event in Rome, is being taken to court by members of the Eritrean community in Italy.

Maria Daniela (Dania) Avallone is due in a Rome court on 15 April accused amongst other things, of referring to the Eritrean president as a dictator, continually ‘disturbing’ Eritrean government sponsored events in Italy through protesting, and insulting the organisers in Italian and Tigrinya, an Eritrean language.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred last year on 26 October, when around fifty Eritrean government supporters pelted human rights activists who were picketing an Eritrean festival that was opened and attended by the Eritrean Minister of Defence. During the assault Ms. Avallone lost consciousness after a stone struck her in the kidneys, and was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

The legal complaint against Ms Avallone was ostensibly brought by “the Eritrean Community in Italy”. However, signatories to the complaint are said to include at least two members of the Eritrean diplomatic entourage.

The Eritrean government is one of the most repressive in Africa. Thousands of prisoners of conscience and belief are detained arbitrarily and indefinitely in prisons, open air facilities, police cells, metal containers and other makeshift prisons where conditions are life threatening and torture is rife. Meetings of more than seven require official permission. Military service is often indefinite with conscripts being used as forced labour in government development projects. Seventy five per cent of the Eritrean population are malnourished and the country is reported to be on the verge of starvation, yet the government manipulates the distribution of food aid to strengthen its control of Eritrean society.

Alexa Papadouris, Advocacy Director at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: “It is utterly deplorable that Ms. Avallone should face a legal battle for exercising her legitimate right to peacefully protest. The charges against her would hardly constitute a credible legal challenge in a court of law in any democratic society and the entire case seems redolent of harassment. We renew our call to the Italian authorities to speedily bring those responsible for assaulting Ms Avallone and other human rights activists to justice”.

Notes to Editors:

• Ms. Avallone’s accusers have asked that her punishment should relate to Article 594 C.P. commi 3 e 4 and art. 81 comma 2, C.P.
• For a report of the festival and photos of the protest and assault, please click here.