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The Swedish-Eritrean journalist and writer Dawit Isaak was arrested in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, in September 2001. Since then, he has been imprisoned in one of the harshest dictatorships in the world without trial or sentence, accused of “breaching security from the country”.
Now the organization has Reporters Without Borders in the report “Prisoner of conscience since 2001” drew a map of what Sweden has done for its imprisoned citizens over the past 19 years. And he discovers that all nine foreign ministers during this time have failed.
“We chatted from the beginning”
– They chatted from the beginning, they could have been tougher against Eritrea. Since then, they have had to fight to make up for lost years, says Erik Halkjaer, president of the Swedish section of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
He notes that Sweden has not pressured Eritrea through the EU when the country received billions in aid. The Foreign Ministry has also twice asked the prosecutor not to initiate an investigation into crimes against humanity against the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afewerki.
From the beginning, the Swedish Foreign Ministry has been criticized from various quarters (human rights organizations, politicians, Dawit Isaac’s family) for being too cautious of the Eritrean regime. Or sometimes the other way around, because you pushed too hard.
Silent diplomacy
According to the report, the first reaction of the Foreign Ministry is characterized by “disinterest” in Isaac’s fate. And her family is initially treated poorly or carelessly, it is said.
Carl Bildt (M), Minister of Foreign Affairs 2006-2014, first applies silent diplomacy like his Social Democratic representatives and does not exert pressure when the EU in 2009 negotiates a new important aid package to Eritrea.
– We needed a relationship with Eritrea that would provide an opportunity to work on the case. That’s why we don’t include development aid, says Bildt in the report.
Open confrontation
Towards the end of Bildt’s ministry, there will be an open confrontation with Eritrea and in 2014 an Eritrean diplomat will be expelled from Sweden. Margot Wallström (S), Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2014-2019, criticizes Bildt in RSF’s report.
– We took over in a situation where relations with Eritrea were frozen, where there was no contact. It couldn’t have been worse, she says.
Her party friend, Carin Jämtin (S), Minister for Development Aid 2003-2006 and Minister for Foreign Affairs for a brief period in 2006, is also critical of Bildt.
Sorry for party politics
– They were notably upset with Carl Bildt, they thought he had a colonial attitude. Or he wanted to buy Dawit with help and said so directly. Or scolded them, she says in the report.
Erik Halkjaer, president of RSF Sweden, regrets that a couple of ministers included party politics in the Dawit Isaak case.
– Regardless of the methods they used, nothing happened. I react to a couple of foreign ministers who are doing partisan politics. It is a great pity, this is an issue that requires an agreement between the parties, says Erik Halkjaer.
– It should be in everyone’s interest to work together to free it. There are currently two interesting paths. In part a parliamentary motion on a parliamentary inquiry into what the government has done for Dawit Isaak, and in part a resolution in the European Parliament on tougher measures against Eritrea, it says.
Lost opportunity
The report shows that Sweden in 2005 missed a great opportunity to free Dawit Isaak. He was then released and was able to call the family home in Gothenburg. But he was jailed again a few days later, as the then Swedish ambassador to Eritrea in interviews spoke about his release efforts.
Several ministers and diplomats agree in the report that the ambassador’s vicious statements contributed to the regime’s incarceration of Isaak again.
– I guess it was that you couldn’t be quiet. That too much attention was paid to him before he had time to get to safety. It’s terrible what happened, says Margot Wallström.
A prisoner for 19 years
Swedish-Eritrean journalist and writer Dawit Isaak turns 56 on Tuesday. He has a wife and three children in Sweden.
He was arrested in Eritrea on September 23, 2001. According to the regime, he is in prison for violating the country’s security. But he was arrested along with several other activists and journalists who were demanding democratic reforms in Eritrea.
Amnesty International views him as a prisoner of conscience. He has received several international awards for freedom. Expressen and other Swedish media have been working for a long time to get him released.
The Eritrean authorities have repeatedly said that Dawit Isaak is alive.
According to international human rights groups, Eritrea is one of the worst dictatorships in the world in terms of human rights and freedoms.
The journalist has been imprisoned in Eritrea since 2001.
