When her husband was arrested, Aster Yohannes was studying in the USA. After she graduated, she returned to Eritrea to be with her children. The Eritrean government told her she would not be arrested. When she arrived in Eritrea in December 2003, she was arrested at Asmara International Airport. They took her to Karchele security prison in Asmara. She did not see her children. They did not let her speak to her family. Her health is not good. She has asthma and a heart problem.