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In 2001, Eritrean security forces imprisoned Eritrean-Swedish journalist Dawit Isaac along with nine other journalists without trial in September 2001. The arrests effectively shut down the nation’s fledgling independent press and any potential political dissent prior to scheduled December 2001 elections, which were subsequently cancelled. To this day, Dawit is believed to be held incommunicado in a tiny cell in poor health. In all the years since his disappearance, Dawit’s brother, Esayas Isaac, has fought for his release. CPJ spoke to him on May 24, during the week of
CPJ: Tell us a little about your brother, Dawit Isaac.
Esayas Isaac: My older brother was always active at an early age. He wrote two books—the
first one when he was about 23 years old. It was a sort of Eritrean version of Romeo and Juliet. He won awards for his
writing and was popular both in Europe and
CPJ: When your brother was arrested what did you do?
EI: I was in
CPJ: When did you start the “Free Dawit” campaign?
EI: A group of four of us started FreeDawit.com in September 2004. But we all thought it was a temporary battle, no one believed he would be imprisoned for so long. But we still continue to fight.
CPJ: What are some of your group’s recent actions?
EI: Marking Eritrea’s Independence Day on Monday, we have written a petition calling on EU governments to play a more active role in fostering Dawit’s release and push the Eritrean regime to allow him access to medical attention. As it stands, the EU still provides aid to Eritrea, which helps fund the prisons that hold my brother. He is in a critical state.
CPJ: Since
attaining information from
EI: You are
right, Eritreans are afraid to speak out and so there is a vacuum of
information. Even worse, a lot of pro-government types call me up to confuse
the issue. They often make empty promises that they will release him. It was
only after one of the prison
guards escaped to Ethiopia that I managed to find out about my brother. I
met the guard three weeks ago and he told me about Dawit’s health getting worse
and worse. He could end up dying like his friend and colleague, Setit publisher Fesshaye
“Joshua” Yohannes [who died after a long illness in prison in 2007. He won
the CPJ International Press Freedom Award in 2002]. Now it’s the hot season in
CPJ: What about the Eritrean Diaspora? Have they rallied behind your cause to free your brother?
EI: There are
about 3,000 Eritreans in Gothenberg, Sweden’s second largest city, but only
25-30 of them showed up for a protest we organized recently. Most of the 3,000
knew Dawit but they won’t support him. Some fear a reprisal against their
family or business back in
CPJ: What about the international community? Are they doing enough?
EI: The
international community must put more pressure on
CPJ: Monday marked
EI: It’s an
important day for Eritreans—a lot of people died in the struggle for this
independence. We should show respect for those who died and their families on
this day. But my dreams of
EDITOR'S NOTE: The original text of this entry was modified to correct the spelling of Isaac and the date of Eritrean independence.
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What a cruel leader.Eritreans don't deserve what has befallen them
Esayas, thank you very much for the great fight. Don't give up !! May the Lord give you his strength.
Keep up the fight Esayas. Do not give up on your brother! May God give him protection and strength to live on.Thank you
My brother Essayas,
I feel your pain: your sorrow. I would like to comfort you; and share your pain that you and your family have been going through. I also hope you would forgive the people who have accepted the tyranny regime who use its absolute power not to oppose the unjust; but to empower and exercise cruelity on its own people. How hypocrat can you be when not too long ago the same regime was fighting against unjust and cruelity by the Ethiopian regime? I feel sorry for all Eritreans who have closed their ears as if nothing is happening. As you may know by now, we Eritreans are people who only care about "US" not "WE". Even When a storm comes down to our neighbour, we don't blink our eyes until the storm knock us down. We need to teach our people that injustice to one blemishes injustice to all. In the end, we will remember not only by the actions and atrocities of the Higidef government, but the silence of our people who are empowering the oppressor. The ultimate measure of being Eritrean in not when we stand in comfort, and celebrate the so called independence day, but when we stand together at times of challenge and oppression.
Be courouge Issayas justice will prevail at the end may God help you.