Eritrea, located in Eastern Africa,
bordering the Red Sea, has previously been reported to be one of the world's
most serious abusers of religious liberty and persecutors of Christians. Amid a
series of persecution on evangelical Christians in recent times, three more
evangelical Christians have been detained in Eritrea, reported the Voice of the
Martyrs yesterday.
This has been the second crackdown on Christians
since the New Year. The police arrested sixty members of the Rema Charismatic
Church in the Eritrean capital of Asmara on 31st December as they celebrated the
New Year in the home of the church’s pastor.
This time, Eritrean
authorities detained youth pastor Abraham Belay and Fanieal Tesfa Mariam of the
Full Gospel Church in Eritrea while the reason behind is unknown.
"Please remember to pray for these believers and their families during
this time," VOM stated.
Furthermore, the persecution watchdog group VOM
said that it would continue to monitor the situation and release more details as
they become available.
According to VOM, there are now over 550 known
Christians in detention in Eritrea because of their Christian
activities.
The World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission
(RLC) in a religious prayer bulletin released on 12th January stated, "More than
400 believers of all ages are presently incarcerated under the most appalling
conditions: in solitary cells, in secret prisons for the 'disappeared', and in
overcrowded metal shipping containers that are plagued by infectious diseases
such as diarrhea. The authorities also use torture, trying to make them renounce
their evangelical faith."
In addition, Eritrea was designated last year
by the U.S. State Department as a 'Country of Particular Concern'.
Missions
More Evangelicals in Eritrea Arrested
by Eunice K. Y. Or
Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2005, 7:14 (GMT)
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