(Asmara 19/04/2023)

Eritrean authorities have, earlier this week, arrested 103 young Christians, some from Mai-Nefhi technical college, who gathered to sing together and record worship music to release on YouTube. The group are said to have been taken to the notorious Mai-Sirwa prison, where over the years thousands of Eritreans from religious denominations banned by the government in 2002 had been held, often in shipment containers.

The group had enthusiastically gathered at a location in Asmara and were singing and recording their songs of praise and worship when they were detained as their gathering and their churches are considered illegal in the country. It is feared that authorities might use this as an opportunity to prohibit them from returning to their studies and instead send them for military service.

Dr Berhane Asmelash, director of the UK based Christian charity – Release Eritrea stated ‘I received the news with sadness at a time when we are struggling to get to grips with the Eritrean refugees in crisis in Sudan and Ethiopia. I call on all Eritreans and friends of Eritreans to condemn this action and call for the immediate release of these young people who were simply doing what every young person does, play their music and record it for social media. In Eritrea this has now become a crime that could result in people being detained for decades”. The arrest brings the total number of prisoners, detained for their faith to about 500, with several prisoners having been detained since 2004.  

In May 2002 Eritrea banned all faith groups not belonging to the recognised four groups – Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran Evangelical and Islam. Thousands of believers from the banned groups have, over the years since been imprisoned, tortured and some died in custody. Several pastors have been in incommunicado detention since 2004. None of those imprisoned are charged or accorded due legal process, instead many are tortured and asked to recant their faith or pledge to never partake in any activities related to their faith, including officiating, or attending weddings or funerals.