A journalist detained in Eritrean prison without trial for 23 years, Dawit Isaak, has won a Swedish human rights prize for his commitment to freedom of expression.
Isaak was one of the founders of Setit, Eritrea’s first independent newspaper who was detained in 2001 after his paper published letters demanding democratic reforms.
Isaak who holds dual Eritrean-Swedish citizenship, was given the Edelstam Prize “for his exceptional courage”, the foundation behind the Edelstam Prize, awarded for exceptional courage in defending human rights said in a statement.
The award will be presented to Isaak on November 19 in Stockholm and received on his behalf by his daughter, Bethlehem Isaak, as he remains imprisoned in Eritrea.
Isaak was among a group of about twenty-four individuals, including senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament, and independent journalists, arrested in a government purge.
Over the years, the Eritrean government has provided no information on his whereabouts or health as many who were jailed alongside with him are presumed dead.
His work with the Setit included criticism of the government and calls for democratic reform and free expression, actions that led to his arrest in a crackdown on dissent.
The Edelstam Foundation has restated the call for Isaak’s release, urging the Eritrean authorities to disclose his location and allow him legal representation.
“Dawit Isaak is the longest detained journalist in the world. We are very concerned about his health and his whereabouts are unknown, he is not charged with a crime, and he has been denied access to his family, consular assistance, and the right to legal counsel – effectively, it is an enforced disappearance,” said Caroline Edelstam, the chair of the Edelstam Prize jury.
His “indefatigable courage stands as a testament to the principle of freedom of expression,” said the Edelstam Foundation as it also urged the international community to pressure Eritrea for Isaak’s release and to advocate for human rights reforms.
The Edelstam Prize honours individuals who show exceptional bravery in defending human rights, in memory of Swedish diplomat Harald Edelstam.
Eritrea is the only African country without privately owned media, having shut down its private press in 2001 under the pretext of “national security”.
Isaak, who fled to Sweden in 1987 during Eritrea’s war for independence, returned after the country gained independence in 1993 after becoming a Swedish citizen.
There have been no elections in Eritrea since its independence where President Isaias Afwerki has held power for nearly 31 years.
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