|
On the 17th of August 2006, 10 Christians attending a home prayer
in the Edaga Arbi district of Asmara were arrested and remain in
detention. Likewise earlier this month 15 Christians and a further
four were arrested in similar raids from home prayer meetings in
Keren and Massawa respectively.
These arrests occurred at a time when friends, families and
fellow church members were anxiously waiting for news of over 50
young people who were arrested from Mai Nefhi College back in May,
for refusing to participate in Independence Day celebrations.
Release Eritrea has learnt that as of Mid August the detained
students, who refused to sign declarations recanting their faith,
were transferred from Mai Nefhi prison to undisclosed locations.
Those who chose to sign documents were released from prison but
denied registration onto their courses for the new academic year.
Eritrean Authorities have also clamped down on the Aid and
development activities of Kalehiwet church. In March 2006 two
leaders from the church were arrested and cars and equipment that
was found in their possession at the time was confiscated. Pastor
Simon Tsegay and Gebremichael Yohaness (who were both arrested and
released in October) are believed to be at the crime investigation
prison in the centre of Asmara (wenjel mirmera).
Following these arrests and the continued unease the ministry of
Labour and Human Resources is said to have finally given Kalehiwet
Church orders to hand over all developmental and aid projects,
property and resources, including the schools that the church runs
across the country.
The government is also said to have withdrawn Kalehiwot Church’s
status as an NGO. In a statement Dr Berhane Asmelash Director of
Release Eritrea UK said: ‘it is of great concern to me that people
continue to be arrested like this, it is reported that there are
over 2,000 Christians currently in prison in Eritrea, this figure
represents roughly 1 in 10 Eritrean Evangelicals and Pentecostals it
is an alarmingly high ratio.’
Speaking on the closure of the relief and development project of
kalehiwet Church Dr Asmelash said ‘I am very familiar with the
project, it has several schools, emergency feeding centres and
various health and development initiatives that provide services to
the entire population of the most deprived areas in Eritrea, I am
dismayed that the government has made these moves that jeopardise
the lives of thousands of Eritreans without any considerations of
consequences’.
Release Eritrea calls on all Eritreans and Friends of Eritrea to
renounce the religious persecution that continues unabated in
Eritrea. | 
