Dawit Isaak, a Swedish-Eritrean journalist who has been detained without charge in Eritrea for over 23 years, was honored on Monday with the Edelstam Prize, a Swedish human rights award. The accolade recognizes Isaak’s relentless commitment to freedom of expression, a principle he has embodied under harrowing conditions, according to the Edelstam Foundation.
Isaak’s detention dates back to September 2001, when he was among two dozen individuals—including government officials, parliament members, and fellow journalists—swept up in a political purge. Since then, he has been held incommunicado, and Eritrean authorities have provided no information on his condition or location, leaving grave doubts about his well-being. Amnesty International has labeled Isaak a prisoner of conscience, while Reporters Without Borders (RSF) identifies him and his colleagues as the world’s longest-held journalists.
The Edelstam Prize, named after Swedish diplomat Harald Edelstam, is awarded for exceptional courage in defending human rights. Edelstam himself gained renown during Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 coup in Chile, where, as Sweden’s ambassador, he extended political asylum to thousands fleeing the military regime.
Accepting the prize on Isaak’s behalf will be his daughter, Betlehem Isaak, who will attend the ceremony in Stockholm on November 19. For Betlehem, this moment underscores her father’s sacrifice and the impact of his dedication to Eritrea’s media freedom.
Isaak’s journey to journalism was marked by both exile and a deep-rooted commitment to Eritrea’s nascent independence. Fleeing to Sweden in 1987 during the Eritrean liberation struggle, he later acquired Swedish citizenship. However, in 2001, Isaak returned to Eritrea, eager to contribute to the country’s media landscape. He co-founded Setit, Eritrea’s first independent newspaper, which published articles advocating for political reforms—positions that soon made him a target of the state’s crackdown.
In 2021, United Nations human rights experts described Isaak’s indefinite detention as “extremely concerning,” noting, however, that a credible source suggested Isaak was alive as recently as September 2020. U.N. officials have repeatedly urged Eritrea to release Isaak and his colleagues, but Asmara has thus far remained silent on their status.
This latest recognition of Isaak’s work not only highlights the personal cost of his stand for press freedom but also renews calls from human rights advocates worldwide for his release. As Dawit Isaak remains symbolically—and for now, physically—absent from the prize ceremony, his story serves as a somber reminder of the price many pay for free expression.
