Yirgalem Fisseha is a prominent Eritrean journalist, writer, acclaimed poet, and survivor of Eritrea’s prison camps. A poet since elementary school, she co-founded a literary club in her hometown of Adi-keyh before becoming one of Eritrea’s most published female poets.

Following the Eritrean regime’s September 2001 ban on independent media, she joined the ministry of education-owned Radio Bana, where she hosted and produced a health program starting in September 2003. In 2008, the regime blocked the publication of a volume of her poetry, forced her station off the air, and detained all Radio Bana staff in February 2009. Yirgalem spent more than five years in military prisons, where she endured severe torture to the point of being hospitalized multiple times. In December 2016, she was detained for another four months for attempting to escape the country. She finally fled Eritrea in March 2018.

Since going into exile, she has published a poetry book, Alekhu (ኣለኹ) and Zeybereye Godney (ዘይበረየ ጐድነይ), a collection of short stories and essays from prison. She is the recipient of several international accolades, including Pen Eritrea’s Freedom of Expression Award, MMY Independent Journalism & Courage award, the Georg Elser Prize, and the Bavarian Art Prize for Literature.