Proclaim 'Release!' for Eritrea

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed."

- Isaiah 61: 1

Image of a chains wrapped around a hand

People praying in a church in Ethiopia

What Is Release Eritrea?

Release Eritrea is a global partnership of Eritrean Evangelicals standing in solidarity with the persecuted Eritrean church.

On May 22 2002, the PFDJ (the ruling party of Eritrea) ordered the closure of all churches not belonging to the Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Evangelical Lutheran denominations.

On several occasions since then the Eritrean government issued blanket denials of the existence of persecution in the country stating that 'no groups or persons are persecuted in Eritrea for their beliefs or religion' and that people were 'free to worship according to their wish'.

The unitary one-party presidential republic's human rights record is considered by Human Rights Watch to be among the worst in the world.


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The Eritrean Government is Continuing to Arrest Evangelical Christians

Author: Release Eritrea

Reports from Eritrea inform us that the Eritrean government is continuing to arrest Evangelical Christians.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:10 p.m.

Bishop Fikremariam Hagos Has Been Released From Prison

Author: Release Eritrea

Eritrean social media sources have confirmed that Bishop Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim and Fr. Mihreteab Stefanos have been released from detention on December 28th 2022.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:08 p.m.

Archive: Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church Under Arrest

Author: Release Eritrea

Abune Antonios, the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, has been placed under house arrest.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:06 p.m.

Archive: The Government of Eritrea Releases Several Christian Prisoners Including a Pastor

Author: Release Eritrea

Sources in Asmara have confirmed that a number of Christian prisoners who were detained from church offices at the beginning of last month have been released.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:05 p.m.

Archive: Hundreds of Eritrean Christians Still in Prison

Author: Release Eritrea

Release Eritrea has learnt that only a handful of the Eritrean Christians who were captured from streets, homes and work places in Asmara last week have been released.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:04 p.m.

Archive: Over 200 Eritrean Christians Have Been Captured and Detained Over the Last Couple of Days

Author: Release Eritrea

Release Eritrea has been informed that over two hundred Eritrean evangelicals and members of minority churches have been captured and detained.

Posted on April 20, 2023, 7:03 p.m.

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