Friday is UN International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. In recognition of the day, Open Doors UK and plenty of other charities have called for the discharge of seven Christian leaders in Eritrea, who’ve been imprisoned for 21 years.
Eritrea is ranked number six on Open Doors’ annual persecution watch list.
Despite the undeniable fact that 44 per cent of the population are Christians, Eritrea is typically known as the ‘North Korea of Africa’ as a consequence of the extremely dictatorial nature of the federal government.
Only three Christian denominations are recognised by the federal government, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Catholicism and Lutheranism. Evangelicals and any Christians not falling into these categories often face severe persecution from the federal government and even from their families and native communities.
According to Open Doors, much anti-Christian persecution comes from Christians of other denominations, particularly from the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Its research found that between January and May 2024, over 120 Christians were detained at no cost.
Open Doors International Global Advocacy Director, Tiffany Barrans, said, “Eritrean church leaders – the Rev. Haile Naizge, Dr. Kuflu Gebremeskel, Rev Million Gebreselassie, Dr Futsum Gebrenegus, Rev Dr Tekleab Menghisteab, Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis, Rev Pastor Kidane Weldou – have been detained arbitrarily for not less than 20 years.
“Not one has been charged or brought before a court. They have had no legal representation, and their families haven’t been permitted to go to them. Their plight epitomises the suffering of 1000’s of prisoners of conscience currently held at no cost or trial in Eritrea.
“We are calling for his or her immediate release.”
It is believed that the seven church leaders are being held in Wengel Mermera Criminal Investigation Centre, a maximum-security prison that has been in comparison with a dungeon.
Three of those being held are Orthodox priests connected to the renewal movement throughout the church. Orthodox patriarch Abune Anonios was ordered by the federal government to shut the movement down and excommunicate its 3,000 members.
He refused to accomplish that and was faraway from office and placed under house arrest. No one is for certain on what grounds the opposite 4 church leaders were arrested.
On Thursday, the campaign group Voices 4 Justice held a peaceful protest outside the Eritrean Embassy in London. Demonstrators prayed before handing in a letter to the Embassy protesting the situation.
One country expert who can’t be named for security reasons said: “Anything done by any churches or its members seen as a threat to absolutely the control currently in place will likely be subjected to punishment.”
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