Former Eritrean Finance Minister Berhane Abrehe, 79, passed away in prison on Monday, August 19th, following six years of solitary confinement. His death was confirmed by the Eritrean Human Rights Council (HRC), a UK-based organization.

Abrehe was arrested on September 17, 2018, shortly after publishing a book critical of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki titled “Hagerey Eritrea” (My Country, Eritrea). He had been held at Carshelli prison in Asmara’s capital, without formal charges or a fair trial.

Abrehe’s health had been deteriorating, particularly after a liver transplant in 2009. His wife, Almaz Habtemariam, who was arrested alongside him in 2018, was released two years later without trial.