Eritrea
Freedom of Expression: A Virtue of Human Nature
On December 4, 2013, CJFE honoured three Eritrean journalists with an International Press Freedom Award for their courageous reporting. One of the recipients, Mebrahtu Teclesion Berhe, reflects here on receiving this award and the importance of free expression to him and Eritrea.
By Mebrahtu Teclesion Berhe
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.“
- Winston ChurchillCJFE hosts live chat with exiled Eritrean journalist Aaron Berhane
TORONTO (Nov 18, 2013) - Fearing for his life and on the run from his government, journalist Aaron Berhane fled his home country of Eritrea. The paper he co-founded, Setit, had published an article critical of the country's government — a dangerous act in Eritrea, a country widely considered to be the most heavily censored in the world. Berhane eventually found asylum in Toronto, but many of his colleagues were arrested and sent to Eiraeiro, a notoriously brutal prison. Four have been confirmed dead, and six others haven't been heard from since.
