Eritrean reporter dies trying to flee country-RSF

ASMARA, July 6 (Reuters) An Eritrean journalist working for state media died last month trying to flee on foot across the border to neighbouring Sudan, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said today.

Paulos Kidane, a journalist with the Amharic-language service of state-owned Eri-TV, set off for the border with seven other Eritreans at the start of June.

But exhausted after six days of walking, he stopped a few kms (miles) short of the frontier, letting the group go on without him, RSF said.

It said there was no news of his fate until the Eritrean information ministry informed his family and state media staff at the end of June about his ''accidental death''.

''The information ministry's lies will not be able to hide the fact that he was one of the many victims of a cruel and tyrannical regime,'' RSF said in a statement.

''A hitherto apathetic international community should react with outrage and hold President Isaias Afwerki accountable.'' RSF did not say how the journalist died.

Asmara routinely denies criticism from foreign-based rights groups, accusing them of acting on behalf of some world powers.

Information Minister Ali Abdu Ahmed told Reuters last month the government would not respond to ''each stupid comment'' by groups such as RSF.

With no independent media and frequent accusations of harassment of journalists, Eritrea is consistently ranked among the world's top violators of press freedom by rights groups.

RSF said the dead journalist was one of nine reporters arrested in a crackdown beginning on November 12, 2006, after the defection of several prominent journalists.

A month after his release he told the press freedom group he had been beaten and tortured in jail.

REUTERS GT PM1650