An elderly Eritrean prisoner who has been in one of Asmara�s jail since September 2001 was released earlier this week.  Gedab News has confirmed the news with a close family member but is withholding disclosing his name until it learns that the release is not temporary and for �medical reasons.�

Recently, Eritrean authorities released from jail Swedish-Eritrean journalist Mr. Dawit Isaac after he had been incarcerated, without charges, for over four years.  Dawit Isaac�s wife and children, who reside in Sweden, celebrated the event.  Subsequently, Eritrean authorities disclosed that Dawit�s release was temporary and for medical reasons and that he would be returned to jail as soon as his doctor�s visit is complete.

A source with close links to senior officials informed Gedab News that the Eritrean authorities, who are loathe to give any appearance that they are susceptible to diplomatic or public pressure, did not want to validate the view that the release of Dawit, one of 15 journalists jailed without charges, was in any way related to the lobbying of professional associations or Swedish diplomats and he had to be re-imprisoned to emphasize the point.

Gedab News can announce the name of another journalist whose name we had been withholding because it has been several months since her release. The journalist, Ms. Saidia Ahmed, had also been jailed without charges for several years.