Samson Habte
Samson Habte is an Eritrean journalist, writer, and human rights advocate. He graduated in 2007 with a degree in political science from the University of Asmara. Habte is a co-founder of Africa Monitors, an Eritrean human rights NGO based in Uganda, and serves as the News Department Head for ERISAT, a newly launched Eritrean news outlet run by volunteer journalists and scholars in exile.
Originally assigned to the Eritrean Ministry of Information by the government to work as a news analyst and news writer, Habte was forced into exile in 2013 after a failed coup d’etat. Unable to find safety in several neighboring countries, Habte sought refugee status in Uganda. Shortly after, he co-founded the NGO Africa Monitors as a way to highlight and advocate for the rights of Eritrean refugees in Uganda, as well as Libya, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia. He serves as media officer, news writer, and podcaster for the NGO’s website. From 2014 to 2016, Habte was a member of the first media team of Forum Radio Program (Radio Medrek), a democratic campaign set by Forum for National Dialogue (FND).
Given the lack of independent media or even Internet in Eritrea, Habte joined a team of volunteer journalists and scholars in exile that launched the first of its kind Eritrean Satellite Television, ERISAT, in 2019. He is the head of the news department for this independent media organisation that has over 15 programmes and seeks to promote free press, freedom of expression, democracy, human rights, and constitutional governance in Eritrea.
Due to continued threats on his life, Habte was forced to relocate once more and was welcomed as ICORN writer in residence of Reykjavik in 2021.
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