Berhane Abrehe, former Finance Minister of Eritrea, has died in prison at the age of seventy-nine after six years in solitary confinement, the Eritrean Human Rights Council (HRC) reported on Monday.
Abrehe, who served as Finance Minister from two thousand one to two thousand twelve, was arrested on September seventeen, two thousand eighteen, shortly after publishing a book critical of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The book, titled “Hagerey Eritrea” (My Country, Eritrea), led to his detention in Carshelli prison in the capital, Asmara.
According to the UK-based HRC, Abrehe was held without formal charges or trial for the duration of his imprisonment. His health had reportedly been declining since a liver transplant in two thousand nine.
Abrehe’s political career spanned several decades. He was a member of the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and later joined the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), playing a significant role in Eritrea’s struggle for independence. Following the country’s independence in nineteen ninety-three, he held various high-ranking government positions.
Despite his prominent role in the government, Abrehe publicly criticized the administration’s financial practices and the concentration of power under President Afwerki. These outspoken views led to his removal from office in two thousand twelve and subsequent arrest in two thousand eighteen.
Abrehe’s wife, Almaz Habtemariam, who was arrested alongside him in two thousand eighteen, was released two years later without trial.
The Eritrean government has not issued an official statement regarding Abrehe’s death or the circumstances of his detention. Requests for comment from Eritrean officials have not received a response at the time of this report.
Human rights organizations have long criticized Eritrea for its treatment of political dissidents and restrictions on freedom of expression. Abrehe’s case has drawn international attention to the situation of political prisoners in the country.
The news of Abrehe’s death has prompted renewed calls from human rights groups for the Eritrean government to release all political prisoners and improve its human rights record.
