WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 – The following is a statement from Mike Balsamo, president of the National Press Club, on the ongoing detention of journalist Dawit Isaak in Eritrea:
“The National Press Club demands the immediate release of journalist Dawit Isaak, who has been unjustly imprisoned for 23 years — without charges, without a trial, and without regard for basic human rights. Reports have exposed the appalling conditions of his detention, yet Eritrea continues to defy international law and ignore global calls for justice. We believe Isaak is the longest-detained journalist in the world — a grim distinction that underscores the Eritrean government’s contempt for press freedom. Journalism is not a crime. Silencing truth-tellers through indefinite detention is a violation of fundamental human rights, and the time for Isaak’s freedom is long overdue.”
Isaak, a Swedish-Eritrean journalist, was detained in Eritrea in September 2001 along with ten other independent journalists and eleven politicians as part of a crackdown on independent media.
In 2024, he was awarded the Edelstam Prize in Sweden, honoring his commitment to defending human rights and he is also a past recipient of the Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Yet, he has never been allowed to accept these honors in person.
Repeated attempts by Swedish diplomats to visit Isaak have been blocked by the Eritrean government. His prolonged detention, with no legal justification or access to due process, is a blatant violation of international human rights standards.
In addition to his journalism, Isaak is also a playwright and writer whose work has been silenced for more than two decades.
The National Press Club stands with press freedom advocates around the world in demanding justice for Dawit Isaak. The time for his release is long overdue.
