Report Documents Number of Imprisoned Christians

27 April 2005

Evangelical sources in Eritrea have released a list of Christians presently being held in prisons or military camps. Despite Eritrean authorities denying any religious persecution in their east African nation, at least 883 Christians are presently being held.

^{Sawa Military Training Camp
where 235 evangelical believers are being held.}

According to Compass Direct report on April 20, the list gives the following details: 235 evangelical believers are jailed at Sawa, 65 at Mai Serwa, 53 in Adi-Abyto, 73 in Assab, 190 in Weaa, 100 in Gelalo, 101 in Alaa, 16 at Adi Teklizan, 41 in local police stations in Asmara, and 9 in police stations in Keren. At least 144 of the jailed Christians are women and 16 are pastors.

^{Pastor Kidane Weldou
Arrested March 18, 2005}

Local Christians are also disputing reports that the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is about to be officially registered with the government. They claim that there has been no change seen and express doubt that there will be further progress in the approval process.

Pray for the hundreds of Christians imprisoned for their faith in Eritrea. Many are suffering deprivation and torture; sometimes locked in metal shipping containers with limited air, food and water. The Voice of the Martyrs currently has two news reports on Eritrea available in the Video section of their multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com/.

For more information on the plight of Christians in Eritrea, click here.

Eritrea

Country Information
Population
6,274,796 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Tigrinya (50), Tigre (30), Saho (4), Afar (4) Kunama (4), Bilen (3), other (5)

Religion (%)
Islam (47.4), Christianity (48.8), other (3.8)

Leader
President Isaias Afworki (1993)

Government type
Presidential republic

Legal system
Mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law

Sources: CIA World Factbook, Operation World
Pray for Eritrea
Ask the Lord to provide imprisoned Eritrean believers a means of escape and a place of safe refuge. Pray for Him to also work deeply in the hearts of the country's governing officials so they will grant His people the freedom to worship Him and glorify His matchless name. Mindful of their own human frailties, may these political leaders realize the need to make Jesus their own personal Saviour and Lord by accepting His gift of eternal salvation.