Helen Berhane

On Eritrean Independence Day, 24 May 2006, Amnesty International renewed their appeal to Eritrea's president Isaias Afewerki to ensure the improvement of human rights standards in the country.

Five of the six female prisoners Amnesty International appealed for the release of last year on this date, including Berhane, were still held at the time.

[2][1] She and her daughter Eva were granted asylum in Denmark after fleeing separately to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum for refuge.

[3] In 2010, Berhane was refused an entry visa to the UK, even though she had been invited to speak of her experiences of persecution in Eritrea at a series of meetings in Great Britain.

[4] An early day motion expressing regret about this decision was supported by 41 out of 41 MPs, none chose to withdraw from voting.