A New Spate of Arrests of Christians in Eritrea

(Asmara 21-06-2011) Eritrean authorities have renewed their campaign of arresting Christians found praying tighter or suspected of practicing their faith. Over the last two months alone around 90 believers have been taken to prisons from homes in and around the capital,  Asmara and also from Mai-Nefhi College of Technology.
 
In May 64 believers were arrested at a location in Adi Abeyto, a village near Asmara, and only six from that group have been released. The others are believed to either still be at the 6th police station in Asmara  where they were taken initially or may have been moved to Me’eter Prison.
 
On the 2nd of June 2011, a group of 26 college students were arrested from Mai- Nefhi College. Two weeks on all the students remain in custody in an undisclosed location. Sources in Asmara believe that some, may have been taken to Me’eter prison too.
 
Me’eter is a remote military prison, where torture and extremely harsh treatment is rife.  At least  12 prisoners of faith (2 women and 10 men) have died in custody since, may 2002, when the Eritrean government started to clamp down on believers not deemed to be from ‘approved faith groups’ , three of those who died: Mogos Solomon (30), Yemane Kahsai Andom (43) and Mehari Ghebrezghi Asgedom (43) died in Me’eter Prison.
 
The circumstances for the arrest of the college students are still unclear but on previous occasions authorities have detained groups of Christian students accusing them of not being willing to participate in Independence Day Celebrations. Several of those arrested in 2006, allegedly  for refusing to participate in celebrations were in prison for up to four years and then expelled from college and drafted into the army.
 
Release-Eritrea is concerned about the safety of all prisoners and calls for the immediate release of these and all other prisoners of faith in the country. Referring to the renewed spate of arrests Dr Berhane Asmelash, Director of Release-Eritrea said: ‘it is concerning to note that young people are yet again being targeted by Eritrean authorities for practicing their faith peacefully, I am also saddened  to note that Eritrean authorities continue to take illegal measures against Eritrean Christians, practicing their faith, I call on all Christians to pray for and advocate on behalf of their fellow believers. I also call on all justice loving people to denounce this abject denial of basic rights to practice one’s faith peacefully’.
 
Notes:
The government of Eritrea banned all Christian groups not belonging to the Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches of Eritrea in may 2002. This was followed by the most severe religious persecution in our world today, several thousand Eritrean Christians have been imprisoned for their faith in the most appalling conditions in various parts of the country, some people have been incarcerated since 2002 and have never been brought before a court. Several people have died in prison as a result of torture, treatable illnesses and malnutrition. Those who object to this, including the patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox church, are also arrested.
Release-Eritrea is an Eritrean human rights charity that was setup to advocate for and promote religious freedom in Eritrea.
 
For further information please visit: www.release-eritrea.com

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