British Council worker arrested in Eritrea
Thursday, 12 Jul 2007 10:55
The British Council has had an office in Asmara for 14 years
An Eritrean who is working for the British Council has been arrested in Asmara, a spokesman has confirmed.
Earlier reports suggested that two members of the cultural organisation had been arrested in the east African nation but a spokesman said only one had been detained.
"We are concerned that a member of our staff is being held by the Eritrean authorities," he said, adding that he believed the arrest was the result of a "simple misunderstanding".
"The British Council and the British Embassy in Asmara are in close contact with the Eritrean authorities and are working with them to resolve the matter as quickly as possible."
He was unable to comment on why the worker had been arrested but confirmed that he was an Eritrean citizen.
The British Council has held an office in Asmara, the Horn of Africa country's capital, for the last 14 years since Eritrea gained independence and has had a presence there since 1971.
Eritrea president Isaias Afewerki is said by international observers to run a highly authoritarian state with a strong military presence.
The news of the arrest comes after media reported that the head of the British Council in Eritrea was prevented from leaving the country and questioned on suspicion of spying over the weekend.
Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia are locked in a border dispute which some analysts predict could spill over into all-out war.