Anti-Flag helps free Eritrean singer

Fresh off their success with the depleted uranium issue, Anti-Flag helped organize a petition which eventually led to the freeing of Eritrean singer Helen Berhane.

Helen Berhane was among 2,000 detained members of banned evangelical churches in Eritrea, including her own Rema church, which has been subjected to sustained persecution by the Eritrean government in the last four years.

She spent most of her detention in inhuman and degrading conditions inside a metal shipping container which was used as a prison cell. The authorities reportedly tortured her many times to make her recant her faith. In October 2006, she was admitted to hospital in Asmara as a result of new beatings. She was released in late October but is said to be confined to a wheelchair due to the injuries she sustained to her feet and legs. She refused to abandon her faith despite the threats and ill-treatment.

The group worked with Amnesty International and said:

We are excited to learn that the petition signing from this past year's tours helped generate additional interest
and Helen Berhane's eventual release. This is a tremendous start and there is not enough
praise that can be given to Amnesty International for their work in bringing musicians together to fight as one
for human rights. However, there is more that must to be done to stop inhuman and degrading treatment of
prisoners. There are still tens of thousands of wrongfully imprisoned humans that need our help.

The band released For Blood and Empire earlier this year.