Eritrea

Since 1993 the country’s regime, under the leadership of President Afewerki, has become synonymous with absolute authoritarianism and is doing everything to maintain its power. Christians have been arrested, harassed and killed because they are considered agents of the West and therefore a threat. Many Christians have fled. Others have been held in miserable prison conditions for years or kept in shipping containers in scorching temperatures. Evangelicals and Pentecostals have been at particular risk since a 2002 law was passed prohibiting Churches other than the Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and also Sunni Islam. Meanwhile the Eritrean Orthodox Patriarch Abune Antonios has been under house arrest since 2007.

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Eritrean evangelical Christians freed on bail due to COVID-19

September 10, 2020 Churches, Human rights, Pentecostals, Religious freedom, UN

If they're not Lutheran, evangelical women in Eritrea have to pray together in secret. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The Eritrean government has released on bail more than 20 prisoners who’d been in detention for years because of their faith, the BBC reports. It says sources have said that the prisoners are from Christian evangelical and Pentecostal denominations, some held in a prison outside the capital Asmara. In 2002 […]

At least 150 Christians arrested in Eritrea clampdown

August 23, 2019 Eritrea

Eritrea remains “one of the worst examples of state-sponsored repression of freedom of religion or belief in the world”, says USCIRF Commissioner. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

At least 150 Eritrean Christians were arrested by government officials during the last two months, with some of them held in an underground prison made up of tunnels. The most recent arrests occurred 18 August when Eritrean security officials detained 80 Christians from Godayef, an area near the airport of […]

Eritrea: Orthodox Patriarch Antonios expelled for ‘heresy’

August 2, 2019 Abune Antonios, Donald Trump, Eritrea, Eritrean Orthodox Church, UN

Abune Antonios, Patriarch, Eritrean Orthodox Church

Eritrea’s Orthodox patriarch, Abune Antonios, who was placed under house arrest by the government in 2007, has been expelled by pro-government bishops in his church on accusations of heresy, the BBC reported. The attempt to excommunicate is widely seen as symptomatic of Eritrea’s government push for more political control over […]

Eritreans still suffering despite peace deal with Ethiopia, says priest

October 29, 2018 Abune Antonios, Asmara, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Human rights, Mussie Zerai, Religious freedom, UN

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Cathedral in Asmara, Eritrea. (Photo: David Stanley)

An Eritrean priest has called on the international community not to close their eyes to the reality of what is happening in his country, reports the Catholic news site Agenzia Fides. While bilateral relations with countries in the region are improving, the harassment of religious groups at home continues, Fr. Mussie […]

Eritrea releases at least 35 Christians from prison

July 20, 2018 Asmara, Eritrea, Human rights, Prisons, Religious freedom

A residential neighbourhood in the capital Asmara. More than 35 Christians were released from jail this week. (Photo: David Stanley)

Eritrea released at least 35 Christians from prison earlier this week, reports the Eritrean news site Asmarino Independent. The prisoners, among them 11 women, were released on bail from Mai-Sirwa prison, just outside the capital Asmara. While five were able to leave on Tuesday (17 July), the remaining 30 were […]

Reconciliation with Ethiopia could improve human rights in Eritrea – UN rapporteur

July 2, 2018 Abiy Ahmed, Churches, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Human rights, Prisons, Religious freedom, UN

As relations between Ethiopia and its neighbour Eritrea show signs of improvement, the UN’s rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea has called for the momentum to be used to improve human rights conditions in the country. “While peace is being negotiated, while rapprochement is happening, one would make sure that […]

Eritrean pastor released after 11 years in prison

June 20, 2018 Asmara, Barentu, Eritrea, Prisons, Protestants, Religious freedom

Oqbamichel Haiminot (Release International)

An Evangelical pastor in Eritrea has been released from the notorious Mitire Camp after 11 years of detention without charges, reports Voice of the Martyrs. No reasons have been given for the release of pastor Oqbamichel Haiminot, who was the leader of the Kale Hiwot, or “Word of Life”, church […]

Eritrea: Rights groups call for renewal of UN Special Rapporteur’s mandate

May 25, 2018 East Africa, Eritrea, Human rights, Pentecostals, Refugees, Religious freedom

A boy in Nguenyyiel refugee camp in Gambela region of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in June. (Photo: Getty Images)

Rights groups have called for the mandate of the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Eritrea to be renewed in June. The human rights situation in the East African country has been monitored by the UN Human Rights Council since 2012, when it appointed Ms Sheila B. Keetharuth as the […]

‘State-sponsored repression’ behind Eritrea’s refugee epidemic

April 24, 2018 Abune Antonios, African Union, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Human rights, Pentecostals, Refugees, Religious freedom, USA

“State-sponsored repression” is the reason Eritrea is one of the world’s main sources of refugees, a US human rights commission has heard. The East African country is not at war, nor does it suffer from terrorism, but some estimate that as many as 10 per cent of Eritreans have fled […]

Eritrea: Newlyweds among 32 Christians arrested in fresh crackdown

March 28, 2018 Asmara, Eritrea, Human rights, Religious freedom

Eritrean police have arrested 32 Christians in the capital, Asmara, this month, including a newlywed couple and ten of their guests. Twenty were arrested on Sunday, 25 March, all of whom remain in detention. The newly married man and two of his guests are being held in a prison north of […]

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