The UN committee received no response about Dawit Isaak

"The UN-committee received no response about Dawit Isaak"

"the UN demands that Eritrea is investigating allegations of severe human rights violations, and clarifies what has happened to dozens of missing prisoners, including the Swedish-eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak."

"Earlier in march and appeared to eritrean government representatives before the UN human rights committee for the first time since 2002, but the committee was satisfied with the accounts. During the hearing sought, among other things, to know what happened with the 11 high-ranking opposition politicians and the 18 journalists – of which Dawit Isaak was a – arrested in 2001."

"– We asked them in so many ways if these people are still alive. And they said, not on it, which of course is a worrisome sign, says the south Christof Heyns, professor of human rights and a member of the committee."

"He says that the committee also wondered what happened to ex-minister of finance Berhane Abrehe – written critical books about president Isaias Afwerki has been in power since 1991 – and his wife, Almaz Habtemariam."

"– They were arrested in the last year, and we also asked if they live and there came no answer to it, " says Christof Heyns."

"Tesfamicael Gerahtu from the eritrean ministry of foreign affairs stated to the committee that Eritrea never violated its obligations to protect citizens' human rights."

"He asked them also to take into account the country's difficult years in the context of the struggle for independence and the"

"But the committee pointed to several cases of violence and abuse."

"– There are many allegations of extrajudicial executions, torture and disappearances, " says Heyns."

"Furthermore, the committee requests an end to the eritrean conscripts are forced to work in mines and on construction sites while they are on"

"Journalist Dawit Isaak was born in 1964. He came to Sweden as a refugee in 1987, became a Swedish citizen in 1992 and settled in Gothenburg with his family but returned to Eritrea to work on the journal Setit."

"He was arrested in september 2001 along with several others who expressed criticism of the government in Eritrea. None of them have been formally charged or given a fair trial."

"In november 2005 saw the release of Dawit Isaak, but three days later he was arrested again and since then he sits in prison. Neither the Swedish authorities nor international ngos have been able to visit him in prison."