More Than 140 Arrested

As Eritrea begins week-long celebrations leading up to their Independence Day on May 24th, efforts to prevent any sign of dissent have resulted in the detainment of more than 140 Christians. The arrests happened at a private gathering in the Mai Temenai area of Asmara on May 17th. Of those arrested, 14 were children.

Some of the detained Christians are believed to be in the Adi Abeito prison; others are still being held by police. Eritrea is ruled by a one-party dictatorship, and its human rights record is among the worst in the world. With recent protests in neighbouring Sudan bringing down the government, security has been strong on the streets of Eritrea to ensure no similar situation happens there. Contacts in the country say that the streets are filled with police and secret police agents to deter any demonstrations.

In further action to prevent protests, Internet access has also been shut down in the country. With only about one percent of the population having Internet access, the prevalence of social media is minimal.

When a peace agreement with Ethiopia was reached in July 2018, it was hoped that conditions might improve in this oppressive nation. However, there has been no progress in human rights seen by international observers. For more information on Eritrea, as well as ways that The Voice of the Martyrs Canada has been involved in reaching out to the Eritrean people, visit our country report.

Please pray for the many Christians facing oppression throughout Eritrea. Ask God to sustain and strengthen the hundreds being detained for their faith, along with those involved in this most recent incident. May He also work in the lives of President Afwerki and other government leaders, so that they too would come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ and respect the freedoms of their people.