Asinara
Isola dell'Asinara
A remote island off the coast of Sardinia where the majority of Ethiopian prisoners were held.
About
Asinara is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, located at the northwestern tip of Sardinia. During the Fascist period, it served as a detention center for Ethiopian prisoners following the Yekatit 12 massacre of 1937.
The detainees were transported from Ethiopia via Asmara and Massawa, enduring harsh conditions during the eight-day journey. On Asinara, they were placed in modest accommodations and eventually gained permission to cook their own meals. A shared interfaith prayer hall allowed Muslims and Christians to worship together.
Many detainees suffered from illness due to the climate change and difficult conditions. Some, like Lij Haile Wolde Meskel, died during their detention or shortly after being transferred to hospitals on mainland Sardinia.
Today, Asinara is a national park and a place of pilgrimage for descendants of the prisoners. In August 2025, approximately 60 descendants gathered on the island for a historic three-day commemoration.