Opinion: Sweden Must Increase Pressure as Dawit Isaak Marks 9,000 Days in Eritrean Prison

This opinion piece from Dagens Nyheter marks the 9,000th day of imprisonment for Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak, highlighting his status as one of the world's longest-detained journalists. Detained since 2001 by the Eritrean regime for exercising his right to free speech through his newspaper Setit, Isaak has been denied trial, legal representation, and contact with the outside world for over two decades. The authors argue that while responsibility lies exclusively with the Eritrean dictatorship, the Swedish government has an obligation to its citizen. Despite recent diplomatic efforts, including a visit by Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, no concrete results have been achieved. The article urges Sweden to consider stronger pressure tactics, suggesting that current geopolitical tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia might create a strategic opening for negotiations. It emphasizes that every day of continued detention is an assault on human rights and signals that Swedish citizenship holds little weight against the Eritrean regime. The piece calls for immediate action to change this dynamic and secure Isaak's release.