Sweden Urges Eritrea To Release Journalist Held For 20 Years

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published September 23, 2021 | 02:57 PM

Sweden's prime minister on Thursday called on Eritrea to free a Swedish-Eritrean journalist held without charge for two decades, as an NGO petitioned Swedish authorities to investigate human rights abuses in the case

Stockholm, Sept 23 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2021 ) :Sweden's prime minister on Thursday called on Eritrea to free a Swedish-Eritrean journalist held without charge for two decades, as an NGO petitioned Swedish authorities to investigate human rights abuses in the case.

Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists who were seized in a draconian purge in the east African country in September, 2001.

"Today marks 20 years since Dawit Isaak was arrested in Eritrea.

That is an incredibly long time," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a post to social media.

"My government and multiple previous governments have worked intensely with Dawit's case. Our work has so far not had the result we wanted, but we will never give up," Lofven added.

Meanwhile, press rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) renewed a call to Swedish prosecutors to investigate crimes against humanity in the case.