I have not yet received a response from the Eritrean authorities. Four others died in prison and three died after release, reportedly as a result of their treatment. Acts 5:19 But at night Jehovah's angel opened the prison doors and led them out .Jehovah is in control, and at his appointed time . we are so happy on their behalf and yours. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 I am also concerned of the imapact of the national serice on the right to educaiton of Eritrean students. On 4 December 2020, the government released 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her final statement to the UN Third Committee in New York in . In their August report, the Jehovah's Witnesses called on Eritrea to release the 52 prisoners, grant full citizenship rights to Jehovah's Witnesses, and permit conscientious objection to military service. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that there have been a series of fatal assaults committed against citizens in Tigray, a predominantly-Christian northernmost region of Ethiopia. High Commissioner said many refugees appear to have been caught in crossfire, Ten other men have been in prison for over ten years. PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. CSW has offices in London, Brussels, Casper WY, Edinburgh, Washington DC and Kaduna. It is also alleged that military officials in Sawa subject students to ill-treatment and harsh punishments, including corporal punishment, and students undertake forced labour. In my update today, I will focus on the (a) the human rights of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in the context of the ongoing Tigray crisis in Ethiopia, which added a new complicated dynamic in monitoring the human rights of the Eritrean people, and (b) the progress made in relation to the benchmarks set out in the reports of my predecessor. Is something happening on a global scale that we donot yet know about? In practice, human rights activists claim, the other faiths present in the country are not allowed to register, stripping them of their protections under the law: Last week, seven religious schools were seized by the government, including ones run by Protestant, Muslim and Catholic groups. The president also stripped them of basic civil rights. . They hav, Sorry sister,but did you quote that from Wikipedia or have you actually been exposed to East African culture? Since gaining independence, Eritrea's government has required indefinite national service by physically able adults between 18 and 70 years of age. Eritrean authorities imprisoned both men in 2008 without charges. 1940s First communities of Jehovah's Witnesses are established in Eritrea. The national service requirements oblige all secondary school students in the country to complete their final year at the Warsai Yekalo Secondary School, located in the Sawa military camp, and to undertake mandatory military training for approximately five months of that year. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for realJehovah's Witnesses on the web. Prior to independence, Eritrea allowed conscientious objectors to join an alternative civilian service group to fulfill their obligation.The Eritrean constitution, ratified in 1997, officially grants citizens the right to freedom of religion, but it has limitations. Eritreas president, Isaias Afewerki, is a member of the Eritrean Orthodox Church in Asmara belonging to the largest among the only three Christian denominations allowed to function in the country. She also urged the Government to provide members of this congregation with the opportunity to participate in a form of civil service that is consistent with their religious beliefs.[5]. Detainees and conscripts at military training camps are subject to torture, including a method called "otto," in which hands are tied together behind the back while victims lie on their stomachs. I call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. I wonder if we'll learn at a later time the gravity of this And it has happened so suddenly! We call on the international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained arbitrarily on account of their religion or belief. Currently, our jw.org lists 7 countries by name , and "other lands" , for a total of more than 165 brothers and sisters incarcerated. Zenebu detailed how she looked on as she saw Eritrean soldiers loot the belongings from residents homes. Since there are no effective domestic legal procedures or remedies available to them, their imprisonment amounts to a de facto life sentence. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". CSW said they were detained without charge or trial, and "should never have been incarcerated". attention from the countrys active role in the ongoing that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being Neither camp is currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. According to reports, four . "Our families spent the whole evening together. By 144hz monitor stuttering; . These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. On 27 January, six female prisoners who were detained in A positive development occurred in January 2016 when a court brought to trial the Witnesses arrested at the Memorial in Asmara in April 2014. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My CO sentit to me. As our audience increases - so do our costs. Eritrea continues to have no national assembly to adopt laws, including those regulating fundamental rights and the right of the Eritrean people to participate freely in the public life of their country. We believe no one should suffer discrimination, harassment or persecution because of their beliefs. WARWICK, N.Y., Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. It is also alleged that military officials in Sawa subject students to ill-treatment and harsh punishments, including corporal punishment, and students undertake forced labour. In this oral update, I request the Eritrean authorities to give me full access to refugees and asylum seekers allegedly held in various prisons inside Eritrea. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Jehovahs Witnesses behind bars: some statistics. Three brothersPaulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariamhave been in prison since September 1994, and the government has held another nine brothers for at least ten years. orange and black striped caterpillar australia; why is wcco off the air. Loopy trial, and should never have been incarcerated. Several new topics have been merged into this topic. The prisoners had been held without charge or trial for periods of between two and 12 years. I've also been praying for them by first name, when I learned they were imprisoned, for over 20 years at that time. The Eritrean government's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses goes back to the early 1990s, when the country became independent after a 1993 referendum. I am also concerned about allegations of possible implication of Eritrean troops in cases of serious human rights violations, including acts of abductions, forceful or unvoluntary return of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers, and their imprisonment in different prisons in Eritrea. While the releases have been warmly welcomed, there is also speculation that they mark the latest effort by the Eritrean regime to distract international attention from the country's active role in the ongoing war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where Eritrean troops have been accused of violence which may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes and possibly genocide. ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Eritrean officials declined to attend a July hearing before the commission, in which the prisoners' lawyers said they would like to discuss a resolution to the case. In the context of COVID-19, I call on Eritrean authorities to release those particularly vulnerable, including older detainees and those who are sick. Big cities run by Democrats for decades are now supposedly 'ungovernable', HBO's sexploitation is a workers' rights travesty, WATCH: Steven Spielberg likens rise in antisemitism to 'Germany in the '30s', AOC gloats after construction of Virginia Amazon headquarters delayed as company cuts jobs, Alex Murdaugh trial: Watch the key video that could've sealed guilty murder verdict. If you want to discuss this subject, we prefer that you start a new topic. The JW's doctrine of political neutrality has led to imprisonment of members who refused conscription. We will all keep watching closely for the latest developments. All 52 Jehovahs Witnesses in prison in Eritrea have never been charged, appeared in court, or sentenced. Today or rather yesterday is going to be a good day and one to remember for a long time. What a brilliant day this is for not just them but all of us that have prayed for them over the years. Return to homepage. Thus, when the Witnesses contacted him, he immediately began to study the Bible with them and to attend their meetings. I am in tears . The intention was for everyone to see.. The freed prisoners include six women who were arrested on a street after worshipping in public.. The prisoners had been held between two and 12 years. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam imprisoned without charge or trial. I canimagine a broadcast in the coming months containinginterviews with these faithful brothers and sisters. December 4, 2020 in JW.org Press Releases & JW's in the News, BREAKING NEWS| Eritrea Releases 28 Jehovahs Witnesses From Prison Sorry for the Trouble. Jehovah's Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam have been imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. "The courage of these three men, along with the other 39 men and 10 women, imprisoned in Eritrea for refusing to compromise their faith have been an inspiration to Jehovah's Witnesses all around the world," Pichaud told Newsweek, adding that the church has requested a meeting with President Afwerki. On 4 December 2020, the government released 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her final statement to the UN Third Committee in New York in . She added that some Eritrean soldiers went from door-to-door, killing Tigrayan men and boys as young as 7 years old. Turning to the issue of the human rights situation in Eritrea, since October 2020, I have seen no concrete evidence of progress or actual improvement in the human rights situation in the country. , Amazing how Jehovah moved those authorities to release them - the officials are probably scratching their heads, wondering why. He has been imprisoned for the past 25 years. On 1 February 2021, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near Asmara. Is it related to the Civil war in Ethiopia? A proper head is, as Webster's New Third International Dictionary describes, "one who stands in relation to others somewhat as the head does to other members of the body . In September 2018, he was baptized as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Stand up for Human Rights. On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. Your email address will not be published. Funny story, last several days they were on my mind more than usual. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In Eritrea, the report mentioned that 52 Jehovah's Witnesses were in jail (as mentioned earlier, 28 were released on December 4). By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. I proposed that I visit Eritrea from 21 to 31 January 2021 to hold consultations with relevant officials from the Government and a range of actors with a view to assessing the human rights situation on the ground, and to exploring jointly future avenues for constructive engagement for the sake of the protection and promotion of human rights in the country. Thomas called on the international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained arbitrarily on account of their religion or belief., We also call for urgent action to arrest the unfolding crisis in Tigray, including by imposing arms embargoes on the warring parties, and sanctions on the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who bear ultimate responsibility for human rights violations that are allegedly being committed with impunity by their respective forces.. This experience made a deep impression on this sincere man, and after settling in Norway, he wanted to find out why Jehovahs Witnesses have such strong faith. I also welcome the release, on 4 December 2020, of 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the three conscientious objectors, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea in her statement during the She said their pockets were filled with stolen jewelry and recalled some troops trying on looted clothing. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam members of the Jehovah Witness faith were arrested over 25 years ago for objecting to military service that goes against their religion. On 6 July 2017, the European Parliaments resolution on Eritrea, notably the cases of Abune Antonios and Dawit Isaak, condemned in the strongest terms Eritreas systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations, and called upon the Eritrean Government to put an end to detention of the opposition, journalists, religious leaders and innocent civilians. They also requested Eritrea to "ensure the legal recognition of conscientious objection to military service and provide for alternative service of a civilian nature for conscientious objectors.. On 27 January 2021, six female prisoners detained for worshipping in public in September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. Around 3,000 former residents of Shimelba and Hitsat have reportedly Turning to the issue of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, there has been no progress. ( sort of). As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. On Jan. 27, six female prisoners, who had been in detention since last September, in Dekemhare, which is southeast of Asmara, were also released. However, our community is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. On 4 December 2020, the government released 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her final statement to the UN Third Committee in New York in October 2020.