Aster Yohannes facts for kids

Aster Yohannes is an important figure from Eritrea. She was a fighter for Eritrea's independence and worked with the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). After Eritrea became independent, she worked for the government. She is also married to Petros Solomon, a well-known Eritrean politician who has been held in prison.

Aster Yohannes was arrested at Asmara International Airport in the capital city of Asmara on December 11, 2003. She was returning home after studying for three years at the University of Phoenix in the USA. She wanted to be reunited with her four children. Since her arrest, no one knows where she is.

Aster's Early Life and Fight for Independence

Aster Yohannes started studying Electrical Engineering at Addis Ababa University. In 1979, during her second year, she joined the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). This group was fighting for Eritrea's freedom. She trained for six months and became a combatant, meaning she was part of the fighting force.

In 1982, she married Petros Solomon. He was also a key member of the EPLF. Aster and Petros had four children: Simon, twins Zerai and Hanna, and Meaza. They both fought in the long struggle for Eritrea's independence from Ethiopia. Eritrea finally gained its freedom in 1993.

After independence, in 1995, Aster Yohannes worked for the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. This ministry helps manage the country's fish and ocean resources. In January 2000, she decided to go back to school. She enrolled at the University of Phoenix to finish her degree.

While she was studying abroad, her husband Petros Solomon and 15 other government ministers were arrested. This group was known as the G-15. They had criticized the president at the time, Isaia, especially about a border war. They even signed an open letter about their concerns. Petros Solomon was arrested on September 18, 2001. Many groups, like Amnesty International, consider him a "prisoner of conscience." This means they believe he was arrested for his beliefs, not for a crime.

Because of the difficult political situation in Eritrea, Aster tried to get visas for her children to go to the United States. She asked the Eritrean government to let them leave the country. However, the government did not allow her children to go.

Aster Yohannes's Arrest

Aster Yohannes was arrested by security officers at Asmara International Airport on December 11, 2003. She had just returned to Eritrea from the University of Phoenix in Arizona, USA. She had been studying there for three years. She came back with a new Eritrean passport. Her main reason for returning was to be with her four children. At the time of her arrest, her children were between 6 and 13 years old. Her mother had been taking care of them while Aster was away.

Since December 2003, Aster Yohannes has been held in prison in a secret location by the Eritrean government. Before she left the US to return to Eritrea, she was told she would be safe. This assurance reportedly came from the Eritrean Ambassador to the United States at the time, Girma Asmerom.

The Eritrean authorities have never given a reason for her arrest. They also have not said where she is being held. She has not been allowed to see her family since her arrest. Organizations like Amnesty International have expressed concern that she might be treated badly. Aster's sister, Tsedal Yohannes, lives in London and has been working hard to find out what happened to her sister. As of 2016, it was reported that Aster might be held at Karsheli prison in Asmara.