imprisoned Saturday, June 4, a week after security forces raided their wedding party. Church and human rights officials said police interrupted the wedding ceremony in the Eritrean capital Asmara last Saturday, May 28, arresting at least 250 guests present, including the bride and groom.
After the mass arrests, police reportedly contacted families of the imprisoned Christians to determine who were members of the officially registered Orthodox, Catholic or Lutheran churches. Those prisoners found to be members of the legally sanctioned churches were moved to separate cells, and most have since been released, reported Christian news agency Compass Direct.
But it quoted local sources as saying that 70 individuals belonging to the outlawed Protestant churches are still held at Asmara’s Police Station No. 5. The authorities allegedly pressured these evangelical Christians to abandon their faith and return to one of the ‘legal’ churches. But "all refused to do so," Compass Direct quoted one unidentified source as saying.
SINGING SONGS
The London-based Release-Eritrea advocacy group has already reported that some of the detainees were overheard by passersby "singing and praising God from their holding place."
Human rights watchers have identified among those arrested as Pastor Gideon of the Meserete Kristos Church, an evangelist known only as Immanuel from the Kale Hiwot Church, and Esaye Stefanos, a nationally known gospel singer from the Full Gospel Church.
A second Protestant couple who had planned to celebrate their wedding reception last weekend cancelled the event, fearing a similar police reprisal against their gathering, Release-Eritrea said earlier.
PROTESTS PLANNED
News of the arrests comes just days before human rights groups Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Release Eritrea and Christian Concern for Freedom of Conscience (CCFC) will hold a protest against perseduciton outside the Eritrean Embassy in White Lion Street, London, June 9.
Hundreds of Christians "are currently imprisoned in Eritrea and several have suffered maltreatment as the authorities have sought to force them to renounce their manner of worship. It is now almost impossible for Christians from non-sanctioned churches to meet, even informally, without risking indefinite detention," CSW said in a statement to BosNewsLife.
"The persecution of Christians in Eritrea has worsened considerably as a result of the government’s decision to ban all but three Christian denominations. People are often kept in appalling conditions for months and even years simply for calling themselves Christians. It is CSW’s privilege to stand with the Eritrean church to call for urgent improvements to religious freedom in that country, added Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW. The Eritrean government has defended its policies, saying it is acting in the interest of the African nation. (With Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife Research and reports from Eritrea)
