Prime Minister: The issue of Dawit Isaak will be raised with Eritrea

Ulf Kristersson confirms that the case of the imprisoned Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak will be raised when the Foreign Minister travels to Eritrea

Uppdaterad18 december 2025 kl 10:49

Publicerad18 december 2025 kl 10:26

Ulf Kristersson upon arrival at the EU summit in Brussels. Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP/TT

Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard is visiting Eritrea where she met with her Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson now confirms that the issue of Dawit Isaak's captivity will be raised at the meeting.

When the Prime Minister met the press in Brussels this morning, he confirmed that the Foreign Minister will raise the issue of Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak when she meets with the Eritrean Foreign Minister. Isak has been in Eritrean prison without trial since 2001.

– There are many reasons why the Foreign Minister is in Eritrea. There are many regional issues and we have many bilateral issues as well.

When asked whether Dawit Isaak's situation will be addressed at the meeting, the Prime Minister replied:

– Of course.

The two-day visit is the first by a Swedish foreign minister since Sweden recognized the country's independence in 1993.