Aster Fissehatsion

Aster Fissehatsion (Astier Fesehazion) (born 1951) was a former Eritrean freedom fighter, women’s rights activist and government minister who was arrested for criticizing president Afewerki and the government. Amnesty International considers her a prisoner of conscience. She is the former wife of former vice-president of Eritrea, Mahmoud Ahmed Sherifo.

On 18 September 2001, she was detained indefinitely along with the other politicians of G-15, a group of prominent party officials who became known for a protest letter to President Afewerki. She has been detained in an unknown location ever since.

Political life She joined the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1974 and became a leading figure in the struggle for independence in Eritrea. Following independence, she held the following positions: member of the Central Council of People's Front for Democracy and Justice (the political party that succeeded the EPLF); member of the National Assembly; Director of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. She is considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. Since the arrest, various governments and organisations have sought the Eritrean government to release the arrested prisoners, most famously in a campaign by Amnesty International launched in 2011. Amnesty International declared her and the other arrested persons as prisoner of conscience and sought immediate release of them.