Berhane Abrehe, Eritrea’s former finance minister and vocal critic of President Isaias Afwerki, has died in prison at the age of 79 after spending six years behind bars without being formally charged. Abrehe, once the country’s longest-serving finance minister, was dismissed from his role in 2012 following clashes with the president over demands for budget transparency. His imprisonment came in 2018 after he published a book labeling Isaias as a dictator and calling for his resignation.
Eritrean authorities, who seldom acknowledge the deaths of political prisoners, informed Abrehe’s family of his passing, though the cause of death and exact circumstances remain undisclosed. Reports suggest that his body may be buried in Asmara Patriots Cemetery, a site reserved for war veterans and national service members, but the family has yet to receive his remains.
During his tenure as finance minister, Abrehe advocated for greater transparency in government finances, a stance that led to his eventual removal from office. Despite being sidelined politically, he continued to challenge the regime, ultimately leading to his arrest after his book, “My Country,” was published abroad. The book not only criticized the president but also called for the reinstatement of the national assembly, dissolved by Isaias in 2002.
Abrehe’s wife, who was also imprisoned without explanation, was released in 2019. Their son, who fled to the U.S., has spoken about the family’s ordeal, expressing hope that his father would be freed. Abrehe’s death marks a grim end to that hope.
Eritrea, under Isaias’ rule since independence in 1991, has been widely condemned for its human rights abuses, including torture, forced disappearances, and indefinite detention of political prisoners. The United Nations and human rights organizations continue to criticize the regime, which has shown little accountability for its actions.
