[ad_1]
“Enough now. Next week, Dawit Isaak turns 56. When he was arrested in Eritrea, he was 36.”
This is what Reporters Without Borders’ Björn Tunbäck and Erik Halkjaer wrote in a debate article published in DN Kultur on Tuesday.
The next day, together with Dawit’s brother, Esayas, they filed a police report against the President of Eritrea and the circle around him for various crimes, including crimes against humanity.
– This type of regimen just wants this to be forgotten. This is a sign that we have not. This time we also have big international names who have supported the police report, says Isaak de Esaya.
Among them are Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler.
Dawit isaak
Dawit Isaak is a journalist, writer and playwright. He came to Sweden as a refugee in 1987, but returned to his homeland when Eritrea became independent.
Dawit eventually became a co-owner of the country’s first independent newspaper. But the conflict in the country flared up again and, in September 2001, Dawit Isaak was arrested for his views.
He has never been brought to justice and, despite diplomatic pressure, remains behind bars.
Unsuccessful Diplomacy
This is not the first time that Reporters Without Borders and Dawit’s family have reported the President of Eritrea to the police. This has been done on two previous occasions, in 2014 and 2016. In both cases, however, without any preliminary investigation being initiated.
Reporters Without Borders Björn Tunbäck:
– In his decision, the prosecutor wrote that there are grounds to suspect crimes against humanity and that the crime can be investigated in Sweden. But after consulting with the Foreign Ministry, it decided not to initiate any preliminary investigation. The Foreign Ministry said it would halt negotiations with Eritrea.
Now, however, the situation is different, says Tunbäck.
– In the police report, we quote Foreign Minister Ann Linde, where she says that Eritrea is not cooperating. So, the previous arguments of the Chancellery are no longer valid.
If a preliminary investigation is launched, this would mean, among other things, that representatives of the regime can be brought in for questioning if they travel to Sweden.
The situation in Eritrea is extremely worrying, says Isaak de Esaya.
– It gets worse and worse every year. There is no shine, on the contrary. Eritrea is a completely black darkness.
Alice Bah Kuhnke: “It must end”
