Berhane Abrehe

Berhane Abrehe (Tigrinya: በርሃነ አብረሀ; 1945 – 19 August 2024) was an Eritrean politician who served in various key positions within the government. Born in 1945 in Quandeba, Eritrea, he had a long and distinguished career in Eritrean politics and public service before being arrested in 2018 for criticising the country's president, Isaias Afwerki, and dying in solitary confinement in 2024.

== Career ==

Berhane Abrehe's political journey began during his high school years in Jimma, Ethiopia when he joined the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) in 1963. After completing his education at Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa, he migrated to the United States. In 1970, he became a founding member of the Eritreans for Liberation in North America (EFLNA). In 1972, he obtained a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois.

He returned to Ethiopia and worked at the Awash Valley Authority before joining the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1975, actively participating in the Eritrean War of Independence. Throughout the conflict, he played a significant role in the leadership of the EPLF.

After Eritrea proclaimed independence in May 1993, Abrehe held several...