This year has really had a lot of unexpected events. Jehovahs Witnesses are politically neutral and conscientiously cannot participate in military service. Brothers Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were released after 26 years of imprisonment.They were put in Prison for refusing Military Service. [4] General Assembly of the United Nations, Situation of human rights in Eritrea. Citing eyewitnesses he met during a recent visit to Mai Aini, the High Commissioner said many refugees appear to have been "caught in crossfire, abducted and forced to return to Eritrea under duress by Eritrean forces. Jehovah's Witnesses are required to remain politically neutral as part of their faith, abstaining from voting, running for office and partaking in military service. 25 padziernika 1994 roku prezydent Afewerki wyda dekret, ktry pozbawi wiadkw Jehowy praw obywatelskich, poniewa w roku 1993 nie wzili udziau w referendum . Detainees and conscripts at military training camps are subject to torture, including a method called "otto," in which hands are tied together behind the back while victims lie on their stomachs. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. Because they will not participate in compulsory military service, Eritrean authorities consider them to be opposed to the regime. . On 4 December 2020, the government released 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the high-profile 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 Eritrea in her final statement to the UN Third Committee in New York in . Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. In September, HRWF had published its report In Prison For Their Faith 2020. I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. Return to homepage. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The new president declared that Eritrean-born Jehovahs Witnesses were no longer considered citizens primarily because they stood firm to their position of Christian neutrality by refusing to take part in National Service. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. The women were arrested for worshiping in public, a video of which was shared by some on social media, CSW said. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. theia group stock There he found himself with three WitnessesPaulos Eyasu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogoswho had been incarcerated for their faith since 1994. The prisoners had been held without charge or trial for periods of between two and 12 years. 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. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea (Report A/HRC/41/53) May 16, 2019. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/G1914037.pdf. [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. They have spent between 5 and 26 years in prison. As a result, Witnesses are not allowed to hold government identity cards or business licenses, or to complete high school. to the UN Third Committee in New York in October 2020. Dozens of Christians have been freed from prison in Eritrea after being held for years without charge.. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. Gilles Pichaud I am also concerned about allegations of possible implication of Eritrean troops in cases of serious human rights violations, including acts of abductions, forceful or unvoluntary return of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers, and their imprisonment in different prisons in Eritrea. I wonder if we'll learn at a later time the gravity of this And it has happened so suddenly! Eritrea: 70 evangelical, orthodox Christians released from prison This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Among other restrictions, Jehovahs Witnesses are not able to receive a full secular education, own a business, or travel outside of the country. 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. UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights) - ecoi.net Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/eritrea/, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2017-0309_EN.html, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/G1914037.pdf, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Egypt.pdf, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Eritrea.pdf, Human Rights Without Frontiers International. Nana Ama McBrown Fanpage | Facebook I urge the Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of those who remain in prison because of their faith or belief. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. 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. Jehovahs Witnesses behind bars: some statistics. dallas stars skating academy ballet rosa ambassador. If you have any questions about our services, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us.. Male Jehovah's Witnesses between 18 and 40 often live in hiding, and if found by police, they face torture for objecting to military service. Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious . It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 2020. You can unsubscribe at any time. The Parliament demanded that all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea be immediately and unconditionally released and that the Eritrean Government provide detailed information on the fate and whereabouts of all those deprived of physical liberty. Zenebu detailed how she looked on as she saw Eritrean soldiers loot the belongings from residents homes. On religious freedoms, I welcome the release of a large group of Christians. ", Tags: Eritrea, CSW, Ethiopia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas, Eritrea: Catholic bishop and priests released from detention, "We are about to be silenced once more" - Christians in Tigray, London: Mayor Sadiq Khan, Boris Johnson, attend prayer service on anniversary of Ukraine invasion, Professor Ian Linden: Putin's war and South Africa. Image copyright: Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information. The country is ruled by a totalitarian one-party dictatorship of Maoist inspiration. In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. ", In one case of torture at Sawa, a witness said unsuccessful deserters were tied to a corpse: One had been shot running away, the other two had their hands tied to the feet of the dead person. of all those detained arbitrarily on account of their religion or belief. Turning to the issue of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, there has been no progress. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. Eritrea has not yet put in place an institutional and legal framework to uphold minimum human rights standards in a democratic society. I remain willing to engage constructively with the Government of Eritrea on urgent human rights concerns. 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. 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. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. These Jehovah's Witnesses Have Been Imprisoned in Eritrea - Newsweek According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. paulos eyasu, isaac mogos and negede teklemariam released paulos eyasu, isaac mogos and negede teklemariam releasedAppearance > Menus (619) Patriot (728-7468) lawrence township police department clearfield pa; OPR No: 12689 | Trapper ID No: 64965. The majority of the imprisoned male Jehovahs Witnesses are incarcerated indefinitely, with no hope of release until they die or are near death. Last night I spoke to my husband about my prayers and what more I could say, as I had already given Jehovah several valid reasons why this matter had to come to a close. international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. The trioidentified as Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in. The practice of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions in Eritrea has serious impact on the life of many Eritreans. In what could be an attempt to distract the attention of the international community from Eritreas role in the ongoing war in the Tigray region in neighboring Ethiopia, the Eritrean government last Monday released 21 female and 43 male prisoners from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near the capital city of Asmara, CSW reported. Eritrea's military abducted the victims with- out warrant or legitimate cause on September 17, 1994, ap- parently because they conscientiously objected to military service. At the same time, we will continue to keep the 24 brothers and sisters who remain in prison in Eritrea in our thoughts and prayers.Acts 12:5. 300 | Phoenix, AZ 85023 You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. CSW has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical In this oral update, I request the Eritrean authorities to give me full access to refugees and asylum seekers allegedly held in various prisons inside Eritrea. I call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. By final statement 70 Christians released from three prisons | IIRF 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.