They also cannot receive a complete education: 12th-grade education takes place at the Sawa military camp, but because Jehovah's Witnesses conscientiously object to military service, they do not register for their final year of education. I canimagine a broadcast in the coming months containinginterviews with these faithful brothers and sisters. Sie wurden ohne Anklage oder Urteil festgehalten. The women were arrested after worshipping in public as they were walking down a street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media. And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious objectors held for 26 years? I have received information from credible sources that, as of November 2020, the situation of these refugees and asylum seekers has become more precarious and worrisome. CSW said they were detained without charge or trial, and "should never have been incarcerated". ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. I call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. in Tigray. Acts 5:19 But at night Jehovah's angel opened the prison doors and led them out .Jehovah is in control, and at his appointed time . we are so happy on their behalf and yours. On 18 December 2020, I requested an invitation to undertake an official visit to Eritrea in my capacity as Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. detained. They would kill you for trying, or even crying, a 48-year-old woman named Zenebu who works as a healthcare worker and lives in Colorado but was trapped in Tigray for weeks while visiting her mother, was quoted as saying. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A number of beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses have been perceived negatively by the current government. The country is ruled by a totalitarian one-party dictatorship of Maoist inspiration. I am in tears . As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. Statements The prisoners had been held between two and 12 years. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were detained on Sept. 17, 1994, apparently because they conscientiously objected to military service, according to a report published. [3], Presented to the UN Human Rights Council on 16 May 2019, the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea stated that Jehovahs Witnesses face severe persecution, including denial of citizenship and travel papers, for their political neutrality and conscientious objection to military service. Known as the Tigray War, the armed conflict has been ongoing since last November between the Tigray Regional Government (led by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front) and forces supportive of the Ethiopian government, which include military forces from Eritrea. I urge the Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of those who remain in prison because of their faith or belief. The women were arrested for worshiping in public, a video of which was shared by some on social media, CSW said. That was the last time I saw my friend. Four Witness men have died while in prison, and three died after they were released because of the harsh conditions they suffered. The freed prisoners include six women who were arrested on a street after worshipping in public.. This year has really had a lot of unexpected events. In 2013, Amnesty International researcher Claire Beston called Eritrea "one of the most repressive, secretive and inaccessible countries in the world.". At Sawa, Mai Serwa, and other prisons and camps, detainees are often held in shipping containers. attention from the countrys active role in the ongoing I have received information from credible sources that, as of November 2020, the situation of these refugees and asylum seekers has become more precarious and worrisome. However, this good news must Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. See our advertising page if you would like more information. Required fields are marked *. not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations re-designate Eritrea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom; impose targeted sanctions on Eritrean government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals assets and/or barring their entry into the US under human rights related financial and visa authorities; use bilateral and multilateral diplomatic channels to urge the government of Eritrea to: release unconditionally detainees held on account of their religious activities; publish the registration law for religious groups along with clear guidelines for applying for or appealing decisions; end religious persecution of unregistered religious communities and grant full citizenship rights to Jehovahs Witnesses. The Eritrean government's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses goes back to the early 1990s, when the country became independent after a 1993 referendum. There are currently 52 Jehovah's Witnesses being held without trial in Eritrea, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses' Office of Public Information. . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. According to the UN As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. The president also stripped them of basic civil rights. The UN Human Rights Office and the mechanisms we support work on a wide range of human rights topics. I remain willing to engage constructively with the Government of Eritrea on urgent human rights concerns. The releases also coincide with reports that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being forcibly returned to Eritrea from two camps in Tigray, many of whom were allegedly detained. Cant wait to hear more about this. Just shows how things can change for the better all of a sudden. Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose I hope the Eritrean authorities will cooperate with my mandate and I am still awaiting their response. High Commissioner said many refugees appear to have been caught in crossfire, Turning to the issue of the human rights situation in Eritrea, since October 2020, I have seen no concrete evidence of progress or actual improvement in the human rights situation in the country. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. My wife work in the same company as family members of one of the 3 brothers who have been in prison for so long time. In recent years, prominent human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritreas blatant disregard for international human rights standards, including cases involving Jehovahs Witnesses. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Three men, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been in prison for conscientious objection to compulsory military service since 17 September 1994. While in prison, this man saw firsthand that Jehovah's Witnesses live by what they teach. one in charge of a division or department.". Three young men; Isaac, Negede and Paulos; were 18 and 21 year old when they were arrested in September 24, 1994. Among other restrictions, Jehovahs Witnesses are not able to receive a full secular education, own a business, or travel outside of the country. WARWICK, N.Y., Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. trial, and should never have been incarcerated. A positive development occurred in January 2016 when a court brought to trial the Witnesses arrested at the Memorial in Asmara in April 2014. We also call for urgent action to arrest the Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. If you want to discuss this subject, we prefer that you start a new topic. You can unsubscribe at any time. that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. He has been imprisoned for the past 25 years. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. committed with impunity by their respective forces.. Persecution in Eritrea intensified on October 25, 1994, about a year and a half after Eritrea became an independent country from Ethiopia. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This was the fir See more Earlier this year, the United Nations Human Rights Committee asked Eritrea "to release all persons arrested or detained for exercising their freedom of religion, including Jehovahs Witnesses." I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? Update: This article has been updated to reflect a clarification from Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson Gilles Pichaud in his statement. The Eritrean authorities will demonstrate their genuine commitment to human rights when they release those individuals arbitrarily held in Eritrean prisons and provide information about those who have . All have maintained uncompromising integrity to Jehovah God. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. In total, over 50 Jehovah's Witnesses are currently imprisoned in Eritrea, and all are kept at Mai Serwa prison. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. . unfolding crisis in Tigray, including by imposing arms embargoes on the warring Jehovah's Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. He noted their honesty and that they even shared their food with other prisoners. WARWICK, N.Y., Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. The prisoners had been held between two and 12 years. Turning to the issue of the human rights situation in Eritrea, since October 2020, I have seen no concrete evidence of progress or actual improvement in the human rights situation in the country. Funny story, last several days they were on my mind more than usual. Woke up this morning and found out they were suddenly released! The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. The practice of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions in Eritrea has serious impact on the life of many Eritreans. Gilles Pichaud Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were detained on Sept. 17, 1994,apparently because they conscientiously objected to military service, according to a report published in August by the Jehovah's Witnesses' Office of Public Information. There were over 96,000 Eritrean refugees in Tigray before the crisis, living largely in four refugee camps, including Hitsats, Mai-Aini, Adi Harush, and Shemelba. I wonder why they dont wear masks? Neither camp is currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. More commonly though, they arrested individuals for undisclosed reasons. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Eritrea. Many of the brothers and sisters who are in the Tigrinja Congeration in Oslo have family who have been prisoned. He was a very honest, hardworking, upright man. I also welcome the release, on 4 December 2020, of 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the three conscientious objectors, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea in her statement during the Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 2020.