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While worshipping in secret on February 16, police raided a service of the Hallelujah Church in the Eritrean capital of Asmara, taking Pastor Mengse Tweldemedhane and the fifty other evangelicals meeting together into custody. According to a February 23 report from Compass Direct, the thirty-four men and seventeen women were held at the Adi-Abyto military camp for two days. Four elderly women were then released, but Pastor Tweldemedhane was put into an isolated underground cell where he continues to face intense pressure to renounce his faith and return to the Eritrean Orthodox Church. The rest of the evangelicals were transferred to the Sawa Military Training Camp where they remain in custody. Apparently, local officials had decided that the pastor and twenty-three of his church members had not done their compulsory military training. At last report, forty-six of the Christians were being held in metal shipping containers. Five were very ill and being refused any medical care.
There are now at least 347 Protestant Christians in jail for their faith in Eritrea; some for nearly two years. In May 2002, the Eritrean government banned the twelve independent Protestant denominations, closing all of their churches. Only the Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran and Muslim faiths are recognized by the state.
Pray for physical and spiritual strength for those being tortured for their faith. Pray that they will be able to withstand the pressure to recant. Pray that international pressure will help in effecting the release of these prisoners of conscience. The feature article of the April edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the persecution facing Christians in Eritrea. To receive your free subscription to Canada's only monthly publication dedicated to the Persecuted Church, click here.
For more information on persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to our country report.
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