Dawit Isaak, World Longest-Detained Journalist, Wins Edelstam Prize Award

Dawit Isaak

OpenLife Nigeria reports that one of the longest-detained journalists in the world, Dawit Isaak, has been announced as the winner of the Edelstam Prize, a Sweden-based international monetary award.
The award is for Dawit Isaak’s outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one’s beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights.

Dawit Isaak has been detained for more than two decades.

The announcement was contained in a press release by the organisers of the award, disclosing that Mr. Isaak, who has been held incommunicado by the Eritrean authority since 2001 as a prisoner of conscience who stood up for freedom of expression, would be awarded on November 19, 2024, and the award would be received by his daughter, Bethlehem Isaak, on his behalf.

On September 23, 2001, Mr. Dawit Isaak, an Eritrean-Swedish journalist and advocate for human rights, co-founded Setit, Eritrea’s first independent newspaper, and some other journalists were arrested by Eritrean authorities as part of its clampdown on freedom of speech and human rights.
The journalists were subsequently detained without trial, charge, or access to legal counsel or trial for more than 23 years.

23 years after their arrests, various international campaigns such as Amnesty International and the United Nations have sprung up, putting pressure on the Eritrean governments to release Mr. Dawit Isaak, who turned 60 in October this year, and his colleagues, who have not spoken to their families since their unlawful arrest over 20 years ago.

Speaking to Mr Dawit Isaak’s role in defending human rights and democratic principles, Caroline Edelstam, Chair of the Edelstam Prize Jury and co-founder of the Edelstam Foundation said his courage to criticize the Eritrean authority is clear evidence of his commitment to freedom of expression which led to his unlawful punishment.

Ms Edelstam insisted that the Eritrean government be held accountable for releasing Mr Isaak and other prisoners of conscience, including journalists and reformist politicians.

On behalf of the Harald Edelstam Foundation, she also urged the Eritrean government to respect Dawit Isaak’s legal rights, such as the right to legal counsel and consular assistance, and to promptly reveal his whereabouts.

“Mr. Dawit Isaak has through his outstanding courage continued to write and criticize the Eritrean government and showed great commitment to freedom of expression and information, despite the government harassing and threatening him with continued interrogations.

“Mr. Dawit Isaak continued his advocacy, beyond his interest for the principles of human rights and democracy. His punishment, his perpetual unlawful detention, never charged with a crime, defenseless and deprived of his basic rights without a trial, his de facto status of civil death, is untenable.”

“Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe. Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” Thomas Jefferson, 1816.

“Mr. Dawit Isaak is the longest-detained journalist in the world. We are very concerned about his health and his whereabouts are unknown, he is not charged with a crime, and he has been denied access to his family, consular assistance, and the right to legal counsel – effectively, it is an enforced disappearance.

Eritrea systematically curtails a wide range of fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, association, assembly, and information, which is handled with censorship, arbitrary arrests, detentions without trial, and systematic and pervasive torture.

Mass roundups and arbitrary arrests as well as the detention of journalists and human rights defenders without trial are unexceptional,” says Caroline Edelstam, Chair of the Edelstam Prize Jury.

“It is important to find ways to enforce national and international law and to promote accountability for serious abuses of human rights. Where violations have occurred, states must be held accountable.

The international community also has a responsibility for establishing justice, ensuring the protection of victims, and upholding the principle that nobody is above the law.

Democratic countries should put pressure on the perpetrator, in this case, Eritrea, which is essential and could have a noticeable effect. Enforced disappearances and persecution of journalists are grave human rights violations. As James Joyce taught us,

we must insist on praying: Give us this day our daily press. These abuses are criminal acts, without exception and regardless of circumstance, including state of war, emergency, or national security. According to international law, family members of the disappeared are recognised as victims of enforced disappearance as well,” said Caroline Edelstam.

About the Edelstam Prize

The Edelstam Prize is a Sweden-based international monetary award, administered by the Harald Edelstam Foundation. The Edelstam Prize is awarded for outstanding contributions and exceptional courage in standing up for one’s beliefs in the Defence of Human Rights.

The Edelstam Prize is named after, and awarded in memory of, the Swedish diplomat and Ambassador, Harald Edelstam (1913-1989).

Harald Edelstam distinguished himself as a diplomat by his professional competence, his bravery, and his civic courage in the fight for Human Rights. His memorable acts contributed to saving more than a thousand lives.

The winner of the Edelstam Prize can be a private person or a person who serves in Government, international, or national organizations.

The winner shall be an individual who has acted in Ambassador Harald Edelstam’s spirit in a country/countries where Human Rights, according to international law, have been violated. The laureate must have shown outstanding capabilities in analysing and handling complex situations and in finding ways, even unconventional and creative ones, to defend Human Rights.

The candidate has, presumably in a complex situation, been able to take a decisive role in helping threatened people or directly saving human lives. Civic courage is a central parameter in the selection of a successful candidate.

Source: Nigeria Democratic Report