This week a very rare protest took place in Eritrea at the Al Diaa Islamic School in Asmara. Cellphone footage suggests government security forces used force to break it up - dozens of shots can be heard in the videos that have surfaced so far although there is no evidence there were any casualties. The protests were triggered by the arrest of octogenarian Hajji Musa Mohamed Nur, a member of the school's board, after he made a passionate speech opposing the government's increased interference in the affairs of the private school.
The exact chain of Tuesday's events remains unclear. Eritrea has effectively eliminated independent criticism - it is one of the leading jailors of journalists in Africa and does not permit independent domestic media, non-governmental groups, or opposition political parties. It has never held elections, and the government tolerates no dissent of any type.
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