Dawit Isaak, a journalist who has been detained in Eritrea for 23 years, has been awarded the Swedish Edelstam Prize for his dedication to freedom of expression. Isaak, who holds dual Eritrean-Swedish citizenship, was arrested in 2001 after his newspaper, Setit, published calls for democratic reform. He has been detained since then without trial. Despite his long imprisonment, the Eritrean government has not disclosed his location or provided updates on his health. As a result, his imprisonment has been described as an enforced disappearance. The Edelstam Foundation, which grants the award, has called on the international community to pressure Eritrea for Isaak’s release. The award will be presented in Stockholm on November 19, with Isaak’s daughter, Betlehem, accepting on his behalf. Meanwhile, Eritrea, with no privately owned media following a crackdown in 2001, remains under the authoritarian rule of President Isaias Afwerki, who has been in power for 31 years.
SOURCE: BBC
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