Cameroon: Tortured and imprisoned journalist speaks out

It is no secret that press freedom in Cameroon is limited and journalists who dare to investigate and criticize the 28-year-old government do so at great personal risk. Many have been arbitrarily arrested, beaten and imprisoned for expressing dissenting views. A lot has already been said and written about the plight of journalists in Cameroon. In May, a journalist was arrested after questioning the authorities in the northern city of Ngaoundere; in April 2010, a journalist died after the state failed to provide him with adequate medical care in a notorious prison in Cameroon's capital city. The journalist, Bibi Ngota, was arrested while investigating allegations of corruption. One year after the death of Bibi Ngota, New York-based Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) urged Cameroon to carry out reforms to guarantee greater freedom for journalists. The story of another Cameroonian journalist, Charles Artangana, once again puts press freedom in the central African country in the spot light.

On 21 June 2011, I read the story of Charles Artangana, a Cameroonian journalist living in exile. His story is a story of arbitrary arrest, torture and imprisonment. It is a disturbing story titled, In exile: From a Cameroonian jail to immigration limbo, written in his own words and published on the CPJ Blog.

The journalist was reportedly arrested, beaten and imprisoned for 40 days in a jail in Cameroon. He fled the country in 2004 and sought asylum in the United Kingdom.

He was granted asylum in April 2011 - after 7 daunting years in "immigration limbo."

Cameroon is party to key human rights instruments. As a matter of fact, the greatest human rights document of all - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) - is attached to the Constitution of the Republic. Despite this strong commitment on paper to uphold international human rights standards, the reality on the ground is disturbing.

The state should take concrete steps to ensure that all individuals within its borders enjoy all rights laid down in the Constitution and international human rights conventions. Stories of the arrest, torture and imprisonment of journalists damage the country's image abroad.

Read the story of Charles Artangana: In Exile: From a Cameroonian jail to immigration limbo.

*Photo: Journalists in Karachi, Pakistan protest against press censorship. [Source].

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Denmark: Man found guilty of racism against Muslim men

At a time when xenophobia is on the rise in Europe, a 68-year-old Danish man has been found guilty of racism by a court in Denmark. Lars Hedegaard, a proclaimed "free speech advocate", was found guilty for making offensive and denigrating comments against Muslim men.

In December 2009, Lars Hedegaard granted a 35 minutes interview that was published on a Danish blog. Here's what he said during the interview, amongst other things:

"Girls in Muslim families are raped by their uncles, their cousins, or their fathers," and "when a Muslim man rapes a woman, it is in his right to do so." [Source].

Lars was dragged to court for comments depicting Muslim men as rapists  and "warriors" who believe that "women have no value, they are not human beings. Their function is to be wombs - they bear the warrior's offspring and create new warriors..." [Source].

The free speech advocate was acquitted in January 2011 by a lower District Court on grounds that he didn't know his offensive comments would be published.

The decision to acquit Lars was appealed by the state prosecutor and on 3 May 2011, the Eastern High Court found Lars Hedegaard guilty of racism. He was fined 5000 Danish Kroner (about 985 U.S. Dollars as of today) for his derogatory comments against Muslim men.

Lars Hedegaard is said to be a free speech advocate and President of the Danish Free Press Society. In this capacity, he's expected to know that the right to free speech has limitations prescribed by law and should not be used to insult, defame or instigate hate against a group of people.

Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provides for the right to freedom of expression and many proponents of "hate speech" in the name of free speech often invoke Article 19(2) of the ICCPR, but fail to put into perspective Article 19(3) of the same Covenant that provides "certain restrictions" to free speech "provided by law."

At the level of the European Union, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) guarantees free speech. Article 10(2) on its part lays down duties and responsibilities in the exercise of free expression.

Section 266b of the Danish Penal Code provides certain limitations to free speech in Denmark. It states:

Whoever publicly or with the intent of public dissemination issues a pronouncement or other communication by which a group of persons are threatened, insulted or denigrated due to their race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation is liable to a fine or incarceration for up to two years.”

I concur with the decision of the Eastern High Court to fine Lars Hedegaard under Section 266b of the Danish Penal Code. There's a fine line between free speech and hate speech and it's important to ensure that the exercise of the right to free expression does not threaten, insult, denigrate or instigate hate against a group of people.

A lot has been written about the trial of Lars Hedegaard and comments on all the blogs and websites I've read reveal that many people are of the opinion that the conviction of Lars is an attack against freedom of expression. Some have labeled the trial a witch-hunt against truth-tellers. There's therefore a need to educate the public about the duties and responsibilities that go with freedom of expression.

*Photo of Lars Hedegaard.[Source].

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Committee to Protect Journalists urges Cameroon to carry out reform

One year after the death of Germain Ngota Ngota (fondly known as Bibi Ngota), a Cameroonian journalist who died in prison in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital city, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged the 28-year old government of Cameroon to carry out reforms so that no other journalist would be imprisoned for doing his/her job.

In an open letter to Paul Biya, President of Republic of Cameroon, CPJ recalled the death of Germain Ngota Ngota one year ago in the notorious Kondengui prison and blamed the regime for the death of the journalist. CPJ urged the government to carry out reforms and ensure that press offenses such as defamation and libel are tried in civil, not criminal courts. The organization also took state officials and security agents to task for arbitrarily arresting journalists who criticize them.

CPJ reminded the Head of State that Cameroon is party to the International Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and that the state has failed to respect its obligations under the covenant.

Germain Ngota Ngota, now the face of press censorship in Cameroon, was arrested in February 2010 while investigating allegations of corruption and died in prison on 22 April 2010 while awaiting trial. Ngota suffered from high blood pressure and the authorities reportedly failed to provide him with adequate medical attention.

The plight of journalists in Cameroon and the dwindling right to free expression is there for everyone to see. There is an urgent need for reform so that journalists and those who speak out against corruption and other social ills are not arrested and imprisoned.

Earlier this month, a journalist was arrested in the north of Cameroon after questioning the authorities.

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Maikel Nabil Sanad: Blogger imprisoned by Egyptian army

After the fall of Hosni Mubarak on 11 February 2011, I thought oppression and violation of fundamental rights and freedoms in Egypt - as seen under the Mubarak regime - will be a thing of the past, but since the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces was empowered to oversee a smooth transition to democracy in Egypt, Egyptians have continued to suffer repression and widespread violation of basic rights. In March, reports of women subjected to forced virginity tests by military personnel shocked rights advocates around the world; last week, two protesters were reportedly killed when the army stormed Tahrir Square to silence protesters calling for a speedy trial of Hosni Mubarak and his cronies on corruption charges. Today, Twitter has been buzzing with disturbing news of the imprisonment of a 25-year old Egyptian blogger, Maikel Nabil Sanad - for being critical of the military in a blog post - and many Egyptians on Twitter have made no secret of their outrage.

Maikel Nabil Sanad was arrested on 28 March 2011, tried in a military court and on 10 April 2011, he was declared guilty for insulting the military and sentenced to 3 years in prison in violation of his right to hold and express opinions without state interference.

On 5 April 2011, Human Rights Watch condemned the arrest and trial of Maikel Nabil Sanad, a civilian, in a military court and urged the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to drop charges against the blogger.

News of the arrest of a blogger for being critical of the military is disturbing and of course - frightening. Free people around the world must unequivocally condemn the arrest and imprisonment of Maikel Nabil for "insulting the military" in a blog post.

The imprisonment of a blogger in any part of the world - for expressing opinions on his blog - poses a threat to free expression and internet freedom everywhere.

Egypt is party to international human rights standards that expressly oblige the state to respect the right to hold and express opinions. This right is clearly stated in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and other significant human rights instruments. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces therefore has a legal obligation under international law to respect this right.



It is worth highlighting that the military court used evidence from Nabil's blog and Facebook page to convict him.

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Cameroon: Journalist arrested after questioning authorities

Since pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in North Africa and the Middle East earlier this year, the authorities of a 28-year old regime in Cameroon have been on alert and ready to stifle any Egypt-style uprising. On 23 February, government forces ruthlessly clamped down on a small group of peaceful protesters in Cameroon's economic capital. This brutal crackdown was closely followed by the suspension of twitter-mobile - an instrumental tool in the fight for democracy and human rights around the world. More recently, state agents reportedly arrested two employees of Pamol Plantations Plc, a palm oil producing company, as the employees transported 150 youths from the North region to work in palm tree plantations in the southwest region of Cameroon (perhaps the authorities thought the youths were being transported to "Tahrir" square to demand the removal to the regime). The [arbitrary] arrest of two employees of Pamol led to the arrest of a local journalist - after questioning the authorities about arrests.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Lamissia Adolarc, a Cameroonian journalist based in Ngaoundere, capital of the Adamawa region of Cameroon, was arrested on 30 March 2011 on the orders of the governor of Adamawa - Enow Abraham Egbe. Adolarc was arrested for inquiring about the arrest of two Pamol employees accused of "fomenting a rebellion against the government."

It is no secret that events in the Arab world and North Africa have put longstanding repressive regimes on edge. But rather than arrest unsuspecting citizens in a bid to silence dissenters and stifle possible calls for democracy and respect for human rights, regimes with poor human rights records should implement reforms and respect the fundamental freedoms of all citizens.

The arrest of a journalist for doing his job is unnecessary and has no place in a free society.

CPJ has called for the immediate release of detained Lamissia Adolarc.

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Twitter mobile restored in Cameroon

Last week, in a move that echoed social media censorship in Cameroon, the government ordered MTN - a major mobile phone operator in Cameroon - to suspend Twitter mobile - locally known as Twitter SMS. The suspension of Twitter mobile was widely criticized by Twitter users at home and abroad. One week after the suspension, Twitter mobile has been restored in the sub-Saharan country.

The restoration of the service in Cameroon was announced on 18 March 2011 on Twitter, when the official Twitter page of Twitter Mobile was updated with the following tweet:

"Twitter SMS service on MTN Cameroon is live once again! New users should send START to 8711 to sign up."

In closed totalitarian and highly censored societies, Twitter is instrumental in sending out information. In Egypt for example, during the recent pro-democracy demonstrations, twitter was widely used by protesters to organize and share information and pictures with the rest of the world.

In countries where press censorship is the order of the day, Twitter is a cherished service which gives oppressed people a unique opportunity to freely express themselves and share uncensored information with the rest of the world.

Over the years, the 28-year-old regime of Cameroon has been widely criticized for press censorship and imprisonment of journalists, hence the suspension of twitter mobile was perceived by many as another attempt by the regime to stifle free expression and any possible attempt by the growing number of anti-government activists to organize online.

It is worth mentioning that Twitter SMS was suspended two weeks after government forces brutally quashed peaceful anti-governmnent demonstrations in Cameroon's economic capital. A Cameroonian blogger described the suspension as a government bid to "insulate itself against digital activists."

The restoration of Twitter mobile in Cameroon is welcomed. People have the right to freely express themselves or peacefully organize through any available means - without government interference.

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Cameroon government suspends Twitter mobile

In November 2010, social networking giant - Twitter - partnered with MTN, a major mobile phone operator in Cameroon, in an effort to make Twitter more accessible to people living in Cameroon - many of whom have limited access to internet. Sadly, this effort to give people in Cameroon a voice online through Twitter mobile (Twitter SMS) has been thwarted by the government which has reportedly ordered the suspension of service.

Twitter SMS, as the service was locally called, allowed users to send and receive Twitter updates via SMS, as explained in the video below:



It is unclear why the service was suspended, but earlier today, a source posted on Twitter that it's "Pour des raisons de sécurité" (for security reasons).

The government's decision to suspend Twitter comes two weeks after Cameroonians - inspired by calls for democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa - mobilized online and took to the streets of Cameroon's economic capital to demand an end to a 28-year-old iron-fisted regime. Needless to say - the peaceful protesters were brutally suppressed by security forces.

Mindful of the role of Twitter and other social networking sites in the recent pro-democracy uprisings around the world, its easy to see the suspension of Twitter mobile in Cameroon as an attempt to stifle the free flow of information and co-ordinated calls for democracy and respect for human rights through social media.

The Committee to Protect Journalists recently took the government of Cameroon to task for "obstructing" free reporting on issues of public interest. The suspension of Twitter SMS adds weight to this assertion and highlights state-sponsored limitations on basic freedoms in Cameroon.

Following this suspension, people living in Cameroon can only tweet from internet cafés. This greatly limits the free flow of information - especially if for some reason, users are unable to go to internet cafés.

It remains to be seen whether Twitter (and other social networking sites) will be banned altogether in Cameroon.

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Somalian imprisoned for attacking cartoonist in Denmark

A court in Aarhus, Denmark has sentenced Mohamed Geele, a 29-year-old Somalian man to 9 years in prison in relation to the attempted murder of Kurt Westergaard, a Danish cartoonist famous for drawing Prophet Mohammed. 

75-year-old Kurt Westergaard. Photo: BBC World Service.

In 2005, Kurt Westergaard's depiction of Prophet Mohammed angered the Muslim world and triggered protests and a diplomatic storm between Denmark and the Muslim world. The cartoon which was published in a Danish newspaper resulted in death threats against the cartoonist. 


As a result of all the controversy surrounding his work, Westergaard - the cartoonist - was placed under police surveillance - for his own safety.

Many people around the world, including Mohamed Geele considered Westergaard's cartoon an insult to islam. In January 2011, Mohamed Geele broke into the house of Westergaard, armed with an ax, in a bid to get "revenge", but the intruder was stopped by the police before he could reach his target.

Mohamed Geele was found guilty of attempted murder and terrorism on February 3, 2011. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison, after which he will be expelled and permanently banned from Denmark.

This court verdict upholds democratic principles of free thought, free speech and the right to hold and express opinions. Although I would not exercise these rights and freedoms in a way that would be considered offensive or insulting, any attempt to murder or silence anyone who chooses to do otherwise is unacceptable.

You might like to listen to Kurt Westergaard speak to the BBC about the attack.

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Open letter to Prime Minister of Australia about Wikileaks founder

Photo: HeraldSun.com.au.

Today, my request to join Amnesty International Support group on LinkedIn was confirmed (thanks to the moderator). Naturally, I visited the group's profile to join the discussions. Behold - the most popular discussion in the group at the time of my visit was an open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia in relation to the attacks on the founder of Wikileaks - Julian Assange, an Australian citizen.

In the open letter to Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, the authors express "grave concerns" for Julian Assange's wellbeing and their "believe that Julian Assange is entitled to all protections enshrined in the rule of law - and that the Australian Government has an obligation to ensure he receives them."

It is no secret that the debate about Wikileaks is heated, and that calls to "punish" the whistleblower seem to be louder than calls to ensure that his fundamental rights (including the right to a free and fair trial) are respected. I wouldn't join the debate at this point, but I would say that the right to freedom of expression is a fundamental right and governments have an obligation under international law to recognize and uphold this dwindling right. It is the responsibility of States to ensure that "confidential" information is not leaked. In an event where such information filters out, governments should refrain from cracking down on private individuals who make the information public.

At the moment, Julian Assange is under arrest on charges unrelated to Wikileaks. Legal action against Assange in relation to the publication of documents would be similar to the arrest of journalists in Ivory Coast for publishing a corruption report in July 2010.

Before you take sides or jump into hasty conclusions, find time to read Q&A about Wikileaks and Freedom of Expression, and Wikileaks and Internet Freedom.

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Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman released

I don't remember the last time I received good news remotely related to human rights and fundamental freedoms in Egypt. This explains why I warmly welcome and celebrate the release of Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman -  a prominent Egyptian blogger who was arrested in 2006 and sentenced to four years in prison for insulting islam and defaming the Egyptian President (by linking him to dictatorship and tyranny) on his blog. Kareem was released on 16 November 2010 after spending four years behind bars, despite campaigns by local and international human rights groups to secure his release.

You'd recall that in an article, published on 13 May 2010 about the young Egyptian blogger imprisoned, I stated (and I maintain) that the imprisonment of an individual simply because a government thinks his/her expressed views are flawed is a violation of the basic right to hold and express opinions on or offline.

It is worth mentioning that I was positively impressed by a heartwarming message of gratitude to everyone who supported the campaign to free Kareem, published on freekareem.org following the release of the blogger. Let me be clear: I supported the cause simply because I'm a firm believer in fundamental rights and freedoms.

Abdel Kareem Nabil is now free, but numerous bloggers remain jailed in many countries around the world, including Vietnam, Iran, Syria and Bahrian. Governments should take crucial steps to uphold freedom of expression.

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Numerous bloggers detained in violation of freedom of expression

Bloggers are increasingly being arrested and thrown behind bars in many countries, arguably in an attempt to silence them and deter the growing number of critical independent bloggers who provide uncensored news from individual perspectives. In violation of the right to freedom of expression, many bloggers have been detained on "vaguely worded" charges directly related to information published on their blogs in countries like Ivory coast, Egypt, Iran, just to name a few.

An article published on CNN on 10 October 2010 highlights the growing threat to freedom of expression and the right to hold and express opinions that are not in line with the views of the authorities. The article showcases photos of detained bloggers, including the following:

1) Pham Minh Hoang: Blogger and mathematics teacher detained in Vietnam. He reportedly blogs about democracy and social justice in Vietnam, and was arrested in August 2010.

2) Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman: Law student, blogger and free speech advocate jailed in Egypt since February 2007.

3) Tal al-Mallohi: 19 year-old student and blogger detained in Syria without charge since December 1999.

4) Ali Abdulemam: Blogger and contributor for Global Voices Advocacy, arrested and detained in Bahrain in September 2010 for "spreading false news" online.

5) Hossein Derakhshan: The "blogfather" of Iran, sentenced to 19.5 years behind bars in Iran on 28 September 2010.

It is worth mentioning that this list is not exhaustive. There are detained bloggers who have not been mentioned. Regardless of their different stories, the numerous detained bloggers share something in common - they're paying a price for expressing opinions online; opinions that "authorities have no wish to see or hear."

The detention of bloggers signals a dwindling right to hold and express opinions online. Freedom of expression is a basic human right and cornerstone of a democratic society. No one should be jailed for peacefully expressing opinions that challenge a regime.

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Hossein Derakhshan: Blogger jailed in Iran

Hossein Derakhshan. Source: Daniel Lubetzky's Journal.

The sentencing of an acclaimed blogger, Hossein Derakhshan, is yet another reminder of the dwindling right to freedom of expression, thought, conscience and the right to hold opinions in Iran.

Hossein Derakhshan, 35, is a prominent Iranian-Canadian blogger, who is credited with pioneering blogging in Iran. "The Blogfather" as he is fondly called, was arrested 2008, detained for almost 2 years and sentenced to 19.5 years in jail on 28 September 2010 by Iran's Revolutionary Court.

What's his crime?

In 2006, Hossein Derakhshan made a controversial visit to Israel in an attempt to "humanize Israel for Iranians." While in Israel, he sought to show thousands of Iranians who read his blog what life is like in Israel. He explained his trip to Israel in the following words:

"This might mean that I won't be able to go back to Iran for a long time, since Iran doesn't recognize Israel, has no diplomatic relations with it, and apparently considers traveling there illegal. Too bad, but I don't care. Fortunately, I'm a citizen of Canada and I have the right to visit any country I want. I'm going to Israel as a citizen journalist and a peace activist. As a citizen journalist, I'm going to show my 20,000 daily Iranian readers what Israel really looks like and how people live there. The Islamic Republic has long portrayed Israel as an evil state, with a consensual political agenda of killing every single man and woman who prays to Allah, including Iranians. I'm going to challenge that image. As a peace activist, I'm going to show the Israelis that the vast majority of Iranians do not identify with Ahmadinejad's rhetoric, despite what it looks like from the outside. I'm going to tell them how any kind of violent action against Iran would only harm the young people who are gradually reforming the system and how the radicals would benefit from such situation."

Hossein Derakhshan's visit to Israel was highly publicized and it arguably didn't sit well with Iranian authorities. It is against this background that in November 2008, he was arrested in Tehran on accusation of spying for Israel.

Amnesty International notes that Hossein Derakhshan was convicted for:

• "Cooperating with hostile states" 
• "Propaganda against the system" 
• "Propaganda in favor of counter revolutionary groups" 
• "Insults to the holy sanctities", and...
• "the setup and management of vulgar and obscene websites."

 The questionable circumstances surrounding the arrest, detention and conviction of Hossein Derakhshan cannot be overlooked. Everyone has the right to freely express views and opinions without State interference. But as stated by the Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme, Iranian authorities are good at bringing "vaguely worded charges... against those who peacefully express dissent."

In a related story, the fate of 43-year-old Iranian mother of 2, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani - sentenced to death by stoning remains unknown.

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Théophile Kouamouo: Arrested for publishing Corruption Report in Ivory Coast

A message calling my attention to the arrest and detention of a leading French-speaking African blogger - Théophile Kouamouo in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), was disheartening. On 13 July 2010, Théophile Kouamouo and two other journalists were arrested for publishing an article about alleged corruption in the cocoa and coffee trade sector in Côte d'Ivoire.

According to Global Voices, Théophile Kouamouo, a French citizen of Cameroonian origin, was arrested alondside two other journalists - Saint Claver Oula and Stéphane Guédé - all working for "Le Nouveau Courrier", a new news daily launched on 25 May 2010, on the orders of the Public Prosecutor - Raymond Tchimou Fehou.

The published corruption report contained details of the findings of the Prosecutor's investigation into corruption, including fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, forgery, you name it, in the cocoa and coffee sector. Théophile Kouamouo and his colleagues were arrested, questioned and detained after refusing to reveal the source of the published information. On the morning of the arrest, plainclothes policemen allegedly stormed and searched the office of "Le Nouveau Courrier" without a search warrant.

It is worth  noting that Côte d'Ivoire is party to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and Article 19 of the ICCPR clearly states that: "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice." It therefore goes without saying that the state has an obligation to guarantee freedom of expression within its borders.

Théophile Kouamouo and his colleagues at "Le Nouveau Courrier" were arrested, questioned and detained for simply expressing views on the findings of an investigation into embezzlement in the cocoa and coffee sector. This, no doubt, is a violation of Article 19 of the ICCPR.

The Prosecutor seems to be unaware of the fact that Article 1 of the Code of Ethics for Ivorian Journalists, provides that journalists have the right to protect their information sources.  Arguably, by refusing to reveal their sources, Théophile Kouamouo and his colleagues demonstrated commendable professionalism and adherence to "house rules." Does adherence to a code of ethics constitute a crime?

You would agree that the arrest and detention of  journalists undermines human rights and the fundamental right to freedom of expression in Côte d'Ivoire and beyond. The arrest of Théophile Kouamouo and his colleagues is in line with a systematic crackdown on freedom of expression and freedom of press in many African countries. In April, a journalist, Germain Ngota, died under mysterious circumstances behind bars in Cameroon; in Egypt, a young blogger - Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman is still in jail for expressing his views.

Should journalists, reporters and writers be arrested for seeking, receiving and imparting information?

Théophile Kouamouo and his colleagues have been deprived of liberty since 13 July, awaiting charges of "theft of administrative documents." In the interest of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the journalists should be released unconditionally.

Help secure the release of Théophile Kouamouo by signing this online petition.

UPDATE (26 July 2010): Thanks to a coordinated public outcry, all three journalists have been released, following a trial on 26 July 2010. However, the newspaper, Nouveau Courier, has been suspended for 15 days and slammed with a fine of 5 million CFA francs. Speaking out against human rights violations can make all the difference.

*Photo: Global Voices.

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Swedish-Eritrean Prisoner of Conscience in Eritrea

On May 3 every year, activists, media and rights groups worldwide celebrate World Press Freedom Day and remind governments of their obligation to respect freedom of expression - a fundamental human right. This right is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, many states have failed in their duty to respect the right of freedom of expression. This explains why, today, there are millions of people imprisoned worldwide simply because their political or religious views are considered to be flawed. Many are prisoners of conscience and most of them have never been charged with any crime. This is the story of Dawit Isaac, an Eritrean-Swedish prisoner of conscience. On Monday 3 May, 2010 (World Press Freedom Day), rights and media groups in Sweden called on the European Union (EU) to take action to secure his release.

According to Amnesty International, prisoners of conscience are:

"men, women and children imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs or because of their race, gender or other personal characteristics."

Dawit Isaac is imprisoned in Eritrea for the "peaceful expression" of his beliefs. He is an Eritrean-Swedish author, playwright and journalist who has been in jail since September 2001 in Eritrea. As if this is not enough, he has never been charged. Isaac owned the now-banned weekly newspaper - Setit and was arrested on 23 September 2001, together with eight other journalists, during a massive state-sponsored crackdown on private press. He has long "disappeared" in custody!

On Monday, rights groups in Sweden called on the EU to "gradually halt" aid to Eritrea, until the Eraeiro prison - a "death camp" where Isaac is said to be held, is shut down, inmates released and given medical attention and an open trial.

Some have argued that halting aid to Eritrea, in a bid to secure the release of a prisoner of conscience, is a step too far - but there is no denying that a crackdown on journalists in Eritrea represents a threat to democracy and the fundamental right of freedom of expression.

It is worth mentioning that the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights ruled on May 2007 that the arrest and imprisonment of journalists in Eritrea - including Dawit Isaac, was unlawful and called on the Eritrean government to release and compensate the detainees. However, the journalists remain jailed. This is a testament to the government's defiance of international law.

Although Eritrea recalled its ambassador to the African Union (AU) in November 2009, the government is still bound by the decision of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. This is the case because the decision was handed down before the recall. It is interesting to note that relations between the government of Eritrea and the AU was severed after the AU called on the United Nations security Council (UNSC) to impose sanctions on Eritrea.

The UNSC Resolution 1907 imposed targeted sanctions on Eritrea - including asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo, for aiding rebels in Somalia. More targeted sanctions from the EU, as requested by Swedish media groups, would bring more pressure to bear on Eritrea and secure the release of the Eritrean-Swedish prisoner of conscience and his colleagues.

Take action to secure Isaac's release here.

Photo of Dawit Isaac and cartoon - courtesy of The Local and WAN-IFRA/Cambon respectively.

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