“Eritrea’s government is turning the country into a giant prison,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
[…]
Based on more than 50 interviews with Eritrean victims and eyewitnesses of abuses in three countries, the report describes how the Eritrean government uses a vast apparatus of official and secret detention facilities to incarcerate thousands of Eritreans without charge or trial. Many of the prisoners are detained for their political or religious beliefs, others because they tried to evade the indefinite national service or flee the country.

Torture, cruel and degrading treatment, and forced labor are routine for conscripts as well as detainees. Detention conditions are appalling, with detainees typically held in overcrowded cells – sometimes underground – or in shipping containers that reach searing temperatures by day and are freezing at night.

Those who try to flee risk severe punishments and the possibility of being shot while crossing the border. The government also punishes the families of those who escape or desert from national service with exorbitant fines or imprisonment. Despite these severe measures, thousands of Eritreans are trying to escape their country.

The Eritrean government has long been known as one of the world’s worst persecutors of Christians. Thousands of believers, including children, are confined in shipping containers or jail cells. At least eight are known to have died in custody in recent years. Eritrea ranks high in lists of countries that trample on the human rights of followers of Jesus.

Last December, authorities conducted another round of mass arrests of Christians, bringing the total in custody to about three thousand.

Earlier this month, Eritrea hauled human rights activist Dania Avallone into an Italian court for daring to demonstrate at Eritrean government sponsored events in Italy.

The HRW report can be downloaded or read online via this page.

Maria Daniela (Dania) Avallone is due in a Rome court on 15 April accused amongst other things, of referring to the Eritrean president as a dictator, continually ’disturbing’ Eritrean government sponsored events in Italy through protesting, and insulting the organisers in Italian and Tigrinya, an Eritrean language.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred last year on 26 October, when around fifty Eritrean government supporters pelted human rights activists who were picketing an Eritrean festival that was opened and attended by the Eritrean Minister of Defence. During the assault Ms. Avallone lost consciousness after a stone struck her in the kidneys, and was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

The legal complaint against Ms Avallone was ostensibly brought by “the Eritrean Community in Italy”. However, signatories to the complaint are said to include at least two members of the Eritrean diplomatic entourage.

Photos taken at the festival protest are posted here with a report in Italian.

The government of Eritrea is one of the most repressive and religiously intolerant in the world. Thousands of Christians, including children, are held in deplorable conditions. At least eight are known to have died in custody in recent years. Eritrea regularly shows up on lists of countries that trample on the human rights of believers.

Last December, authorities conducted another round of mass arrests of Christians, bringing the total in custody to about three thousand.

Reporters Without Borders has ranked Eritrea the worst nation on the planet for press freedom, worse even than North Korea. An estimated 20,000 political prisoners are held in Eritrean jails.

Gospel singer Helen Berhane, who escaped to Denmark in 2007 after two years of imprisonment and torture, last week urged the European Union to withhold a €122 million foreign aid package to Eritrea. She joins an international chorus of objections to the aid proposal, including Reporters Without Borders and the US ambassador to the UN.

Eritrea thumbed its nose at the International Criminal Court last month by inviting the international pariah Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan, for a state visit—his first since the court issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.

More news stories of persecution in Eritrea can be seen here and here.

h/t Religious Intelligence

At least two detained Christians have died this month in Eritrea after a “long period of torture” in a notorious military prison camp, while the number of Christians jailed in the African nation because of their faith approaches 3,000, a well-informed Christian rights group said Wednesday, January 21.

Netherlands-based Open Doors, which has close contacts with reportedly persecuted Christians in Eritrea and around the world, said Mogos Hagos Kiflom, 37, and Mehari Gebreneguse Asgedom, 42, died “most likely” at the beginning of January.

Another organisation monitoring persecution in Eritrea reports that authorities have targeted one particular evangelical denomination for “eradication”.

[T]he government of Eritrea has renewed its campaign of eradication against a particular evangelical church: Faith Missions.  Also known as Faith Church of Christ, this church of a Methodist background has had presence in Eritrea since 1952. It operates many schools, orphanages and, until its NGO status was recently revoked, had been active in development projects.

Four people, including an 80-year-old man and his wife, have been in custody since last October after being arrested in a village with a Faith Missions school.

The US State Department lists Eritrea as one of eight Countries of Particular Concern for egregious violations of religious freedom.

Since May 2002, all churches except Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran have been illegal in Eritrea.  It is believed that nearly 3000 Christians, mostly Pentecostal and charismatic, are presently jailed without charge and held in appalling conditions.  Tens of thousands have fled the country to avoid persecution.

Even legal religions are subject to official harassment.  The Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and several priests are among the imprisoned.

The government denies all reports of religious persecution.

Among those arrested, over the last few weeks, is Dr Michael Mehari, of Kale Hiwet church in Asmara, a renowned paediatrician, who was known for his commitment to his work and dedication to his faith. Dr Michael is a father of atleast [sic] four young children who are now undergoing the uncertainty that has been the fate of all other children and families of prisoners as Eritrean authorities do not allow any visitation rights.
[…]
With the arrest of Dr Michael, Eritrean authorities have now arrested three prominent doctors on the count of their Christian faith; Rev Dr Fitsum Gebrenigus, the only Eritrean psychiatrist in the country and Rev Dr Tekelab Mengisteab, a diabetics specialist, have been under arrest since 2004.

It is now estimated that over 3000 Christians are incarcerated in Eritrea. Most are held without formal charges in extremely inhumane conditions.

h/t: International Christian Concern

The report originated with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and was picked up by BosNewsLife.

Several churches in Eritrea were without their leaders or other believers Sunday, December 21, as a government-backed campaign of mass arrests reached the capital Asmara amid fears several detainees died of mistreatment,  Christians said.
[…]
CSW’s Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said in a statement obtained by BosNewsLife that the tensions and the “resumption of mass arrests” are “deeply troubling.” She said CSW is especially concerned about “reports indicating that some detainees may even have died from injures” sustained during mistreatment. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who may now be grieving for friends and family members,” Lambert explained.

It is believed that some 2000 Christians are imprisoned in Eritrea. They are being held without charge in appallingly inhumane conditions.

IDOP Canada has chosen as this year’s theme “Pray for the Persecutors”, based on Romans 12:9-21.

When was the last time you prayed for President Hu Jiantao of China? Or for Premier Kim Jong Il of North Korea? Or for the Muslim militants who tortured and murdered three Turkish Bible publishers in March 2007?

The call for the follower of Jesus is to pray for all people. This year, please Pray For the Persecutors. Pray specifically for the kings and leaders of persecuting countries and for all those who harass, imprison and even kill Christians throughout the world.

The four focus nations this year are Eritrea, India, the Maldives, and North Korea.

Here is a responsive reading for IDOP 2008.

Leader: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them (Rom 12:14).

All: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6). God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Rom 5:10).

Leader: But now the righteousness of God has been disclosed. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are now justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom: 3:21-24).

All: Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin (Rom 4:7,8).

Leader: Beloved never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19).

All: For He will avenge the blood of His children and take vengeance on His adversaries; He will repay those who hate Him, and cleanse the land for His people (Deut 32:43).

Leader: O God do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still O God! Those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people (Psalm 83:1-3).

All: O my God make them like a whirling dust, pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane. Fill their faces with shame so that they may seek your name O Lord (Psalm 83:13- 16).

Leader: Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other (Isaiah 46:22). To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear (Isaiah 46:23).

All: For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered (Isaiah 65:17).

Leader: Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21).

All: If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads (Rom 12:20).

A resource kit with over a dozen information sheets and a PowerPoint presentation may be downloaded via this page.

More information and resources can be found at the international IDOP site, including a map showing where Christians are persecuted.

Teklesenbet Gebreab Kiflom, 36, was the second Christian known to have died because of malaria in Eritrea’s Wi’a Military Training Center, located some 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the Red Sea port of Massawa, said Netherlands-based Open Doors, a Christian rights and aid group.

In June, another Christian held at the same facility died of malaria.

Last week, Eritrean authorities arrested 65 Christians belonging to five different house churches, apparently on the basis of reports from informants.

Since 2006, four Eritrean Christians are known to have died of torture in custody. It is estimated that over 3000 Christians, mostly evangelical Protestants, are presently imprisoned in appalling conditions in Eritrea.

U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford said last month,

“Eritrea continued its race to the bottom with its abysmal record of abuses — arresting, detaining, torturing, even killing some of its citizens for merely attempting to worship outside one of the four government-approved religions.”

The four approved religious groups are: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea, Sunni Islam, and the Roman Catholic Church.

The government of Eritrea maintains that no one is persecuted on the basis of religious beliefs.