Originally written on 17-12-2004.

In 1995 the Government of Eritrea decreed a new religious law. The law was however, not clear and self-contradictory. The general concept of the decree reads as follows:

• Every Eritrean citizen has the right to believe or not to believe in God; follow any religion he/she chooses and is free to change from one religion to the other.
• All religious groups have the right to preach and proselytize. In the course of propagation of their faith, they may use any forms of media: such as one to one witnessing, mass gathering and distribution of literature.

This part of the legislation would be good news except for what accompanied it, namely: the new law stated that all religious groups are required to register officially and to function under the surveillance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This was formed under the Ministry of the Interior with four representatives, one from each of the four sanctioned religious groups: Naizghi Kiflu (an Orthodox), Tsegu Fisehay (a Protestant), Fitsum G/Ezghiher (a Catholic) and Jelani (a Muslim). All of them were members of the EPLF.

The above stated freedom of religion further states it would apply only for those religious groups officially recognized by the government. In response to this new law, all Evangelical and Pentecostal churches applied for registration. However, despite the fact that these churches complied with all the necessary demands required for registration, none of them has ever received official recognition of their registration.

This has remained the situation with the same law being reinforced again in 2002, with even more discrimination and vehement opposition of Evangelical and Pentecostal Christian groups.