For the past several weeks, The Voice of the Martyrs has been following the increasing persecution of Protestant Christians in Eritrea.
In the latest incidents, Compass Direct reported on May 5 that, over the Orthodox Easter weekend, two members of the government-recognized Evangelical Lutheran Church were arrested and detained for three days. Following tradition, a group of believers was singing hymns in the streets of central Asmara on the evening of April 26 when police confronted them. Most of the group fled, but two young men stayed and were arrested and held without charges. They were released after being warned to not repeat this Easter tradition again.
Three days later, on April 29, military police raided homes and workplaces in the northern province of Sahel, arresting 56 members of independent Pentecostal churches. Military authorities justified the raid as "conscription for military service." According to other church members, however, most of the 16 women and 40 men had already served their mandatory military service. They were all members of the Full Gospel Church or the Kale Hiwot Church.
None of the 56 have been heard from since their arrests. Security police said they were taken to the Sawa Military Training Center, but the families have been unable to confirm this. The families are concerned for their safety, particularly since another 74 Protestant Eritrean soldiers have been held in the Assab military prison for more than a year. They have been subjected to beatings, threats and abuse for refusing to deny their Pentecostal beliefs.
Pray for physical, mental, and spiritual strength for all those arrested. Pray that family members of the arrested soldiers will receive news soon. Pray that the recent increase in persecution in Eritrea will end.
Population
