40 fishermen return from Eritrean prisons to Hodeida

HODEIDA, July 22 (YPA) – 40 fishermen returned on Monday to the fishing port in Hodeida province, after they were kidnapped and tortured by Eritrean authorities in their prisons for more than two months.

During the reception, the Vice President of the General Authority for Fisheries in the Red Sea, Abdul Malik Sabra, explained that the returning fishermen are part of dozens of Yemeni fishermen who are languishing in the prisons of the Eritrean authorities as part of their ongoing transgressions and violations of the laws and international conventions.

While the fishermen reported that the Eritrean authorities kidnapped them while they were fishing in various places in Yemeni marine waters on board four boats, then took them under force of arms to their prisons and practiced various types of torture against them, forcing them to perform hard labor under starvation and ill-treatment.

They confirmed that their release came after three of their boats were confiscated with fishing equipment and some of their belongings.