ኣቶ ምስግና ገብረትንሳኤ ዝተባህለ ኣቦ 5 ቆልዑ ኤርትራዊ ኣማኒ ጅሆባ ኣብ ቤትማእሰርቲ ስርዓት ህግደፍ ዓሪፉ።

One of Jehovah’s Witnesses dies while imprisoned in Eritrea
ASMARA, Eritrea—Misghina Gebretinsae, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned in Eritrea without any specific charges, died under mysterious circumstances during his detainment by Eritrean authorities. He was 62 years old.

Details of the exact cause of death are sketchy. Reportedly, Mr. Gebretinsae was put in solitary confinement in a sheet metal container for a week some time prior to his death. Local Witnesses were told that Mr. Gebretinsae “fell sick” in the Meitir prison camp where he was detained and was pronounced “dead on arrival” at the Gindae Hospital near Massawa. Later Mr. Gebretinsae’s body was brought to Halibet Hospital in Asmara and local Witnesses were contacted with the news of Misghina’s death. He is survived by a son and three daughters.

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Eritrea were only recently informed of the death of Mr. Gebretinsae, who was known as a faithful Christian and family man. His family and fellow worshippers are grieving his loss. Mr. Gebretinsae was widely respected as trustworthy and dependable. Many local Witnesses viewed him as a good asset to the congregation and to his community.

Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world are deeply troubled that their law-abiding fellow worshippers in Eritrea are being arrested and imprisoned without being charged with a crime or being given a trial. Mr. Gebretinsae was one of many Witnesses, including women and children, who experienced such especially harsh treatment by Eritrean authorities during a wave of systematic arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses from July 2008 through June 2009. The government has banned all minority religious groups in the country since 2002, but Witnesses in Eritrea appear to be a special target. Three conscientious objectors among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Eritrea have been imprisoned for nearly 17 years, and two children, 3 and 4 years old, are imprisoned with their mothers. Imprisoned Witnesses have also been denied visitors, including their family members. As of April 5, 2011, there were 51 imprisoned Jehovah’s Witnesses in Eritrea, including Mr. Gebretinsae.

The death of Misghina Gebretinsae marks the first time one of Jehovah’s Witnesses has died while in the custody of Eritrean authorities.

Name of Prisoner	Age	Gender	Prison	Date Imprisoned	Reason for Arrest
Paulos Eyassu	38	male	Sawa Camp	September 24, 1994	Conscientious objection
Isaac Mogos	35	male	Sawa Camp	September 24, 1994	Conscientious objection
Negede Teklemariam	37	male	Sawa Camp	September 24, 1994	Conscientious objection
Aron Abraha	37	male	Sawa Camp	May 9, 2001	Conscientious objection
Mussie Fessehaye	39	male	Sawa Camp	June 2003	Conscientious objection
Ambakom Tsegezab	35	male	Sawa Camp	February 2004	Conscientious objection
Bemnet Fessehaye	40	male	Sawa Camp	February 2005	Conscientious objection
Henok Ghebru	27	male	Sawa Camp	February 2005	Conscientious objection
Worede Kiros	54	male	Sawa Camp	May 4, 2005	Religious activity
Yonathan Yonas	25	male	Sawa Camp	November 12, 2005	Religious activity
Kibreab Fessehaye	33	male	Sawa Camp	December 27, 2005	Conscientious objection
Bereket Abraha Oqbagabir	43	male	Sawa Camp	January 1, 2006	Conscientious objection
Yosief Fessehaye	22	male	Sawa Camp	2007	Conscientious objection
Amanuel Abraham		male	Sawa Camp	2007	Conscientious objection
Mogos Gebremeskel	65	male	Serejjeka	July 3, 2008	Unknown
Bereket Abraha	64	male	Meitir Camp	July 8, 2008	Unknown
Mesgina Gebretinsai	60	male	Meitir Camp	July 10, 2008	Unknown
Goitom Gebrekristos	75	male	Meitir Camp	July 11, 2008	Unknown
Ermias Ashgedom	21	male	Meitir Camp	July 11, 2008	Unknown
Habtemichael Mekonen	70	male	Meitir Camp	July 17, 2008	Unknown
Tareke Tesfamariam	60	male	Meitir Camp	August 4, 2008	Unknown
Tesfai Teklemariam	58	male	Meitir Camp	August 5, 2008	Unknown
Goitom Aradom	67	male	Meitir Camp	August 8, 2008	Unknown; father of Misghana Goitom Aradom
Habtemichael Tesfamariam	63	male	Meitir Camp	August 8, 2008	Unknown
Tewoldemedhin Habtezion	52	male	Meitir Camp	August 9, 2008	Unknown; husband of Liya Hidru and father of Yamin Tewoldemedhin
Ghebrehiwet Ghebremichael	67	male	Meitir Camp	August 22, 2008	Unknown
Yohannes Haile	68	male	Meitir Camp	September 18, 2008	Unknown
Teferi Beyene	70	male	Meitir Camp	September 23, 2008	Unknown, a publisher
Beyene Abraham	58	male	Meitir Camp	October 23, 2008	Unknown, publisher, formerly served as elder
Asfaha Haile	77	male	Meitir Camp	December 2, 2008	Unknown
Semere Negussega	74	male	Meitir Camp	December 22, 2008	Unknown
Muse Paulos	66	male	Meitir Camp	December 23, 2008	Unknown
Tsehaye Leghesse	72	male	Meitir Camp	December 23, 2008	Unknown
Tsegezeab Tesfazghi	62	male	Meitir Camp	December 23, 2008	Unknown
Tsehaye Tesfamariam	70	male	Meitir Camp	January 5, 2009	Unknown
Yoab Tecle	60	male	Meitir Camp	April 23, 2009	Rearrested
Yoel Tsegezab	35	male	Meitir Camp	August 26, 2008	Conscientious objection
Nehemiah Hagos	25	male	Meitir Camp	August 26, 2008	Conscientious objection
Samuel Ghirmay	29	male	Meitir Camp	March 2009	Conscientious objection
Teklu Gebrehiwot	36	male	Meitir	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; MS
Isaias Afeworki	26	male	Meitir	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; MS
Liya Hidru	37	female	4th Police Station	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; wife of Tewoldemedhin Habtezion; mother of Yamin Tewoldemedhin
Awet Andemariam	31	female	4th Police Station	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; wife of Natnael Ghebreyesus and mother of Yocabed Natnael Ghebreyesus
Milen	21	female	Meitir Camp	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting
Faiza Seid	26	female	Meitir Camp	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting
Merhawit Tadesse	21	female	Meitir Camp	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting
Yodit Mekonnen	29	female	Meitir Camp	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting
Misghana Goitom Aradom	19	female	Meitir Camp	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; daughter of Goitom Aradom
Yamin Tewoldemedhin	5	male	4th Police Station	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting
Yocabed Natnael Ghebreyesus	4	female	4th Police Station	June 28, 2009	Religious meeting; daughter of Natnael Ghebreyesus and Awet Andemariam
Misghina Semereab		male	Adi-Abieto	Unknown	Unknown