Cant wait to hear more about this. It is also not acceptable for Eritrea to arbitrary detain political opponents in secret prisons without charge or trial in violation of human rights standards. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. At Sawa, Mai Serwa, and other prisons and camps, detainees are often held in shipping containers. "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. That was the last time I saw my friend. Alex Murdaugh trial: Murderer sentenced to consecutive life sentences after being found guilty. Gilles Pichaud With one recent exception, those imprisoned have never had the opportunity to offer a defence in court. 25 padziernika 1994 roku prezydent Afewerki wyda dekret, ktry pozbawi wiadkw Jehowy praw obywatelskich, poniewa w roku 1993 nie wzili udziau w referendum . On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations 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. 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. 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. 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. Persecution in Eritrea intensified on October 25, 1994, about a year and a half after Eritrea became an independent country from Ethiopia. in Tigray. Three men, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been in prison for conscientious objection to compulsory military service since 17 September1994. They were released after 26 years on February 5th, 2021. Retreat, Spirituality and Pilgrimage Centres. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. a essas acusaes em julgamento. The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. On 27 January, six female prisoners who were detained in September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. "We feel deeply for Isaac, Negede, and Paulos, who have suffered harsh conditions for more than half their lives for refusing military service," Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson Gilles Pichaud told Newsweek. The situation of detainees and political prisoners is particularly concerning. Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". forcibly returned to Eritrea from two camps in Tigray, many of whom were allegedly They are now aged 41, 40, and 38 respectively, having spent their youth in confinement. Since gaining independence, Eritrea's government has required indefinite national service by physically able adults between 18 and 70 years of age. Some of the prisoners had been held without charge or trial for up to 12 years. committed with impunity by their respective forces.. This week marked 25 years in prison without charges or trial for three men in Eritrea. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is the leading United Nations entity in the field of human rights, with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. In Eritrea, Jehovahs Witnesses are in prison as conscientious objectors to military service, for holding underground religious meetings or for attempts to share their beliefs with others. December 4, 2020 in JW.org Press Releases & JW's in the News, BREAKING NEWS| Eritrea Releases 28 Jehovahs Witnesses From Prison orange and black striped caterpillar australia; why is wcco off the air. Eritrea has not yet put in place an institutional and legal framework to uphold minimum human rights standards in a democratic society. Around 3,000 former residents of Shimelba and Hitsat have reportedly managed to reach Mai Aini, one of the two remaining camps for Eritrean refugees in Tigray. [6] United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Annual Report, USCIRF. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released The practice of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions in Eritrea has serious impact on the life of many Eritreans. We also call for urgent action to arrest the We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I am in tears . And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious objectors held for 26 years? 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 Afewerkis policy of restrictions is more about his fear that religion will mobilize people as a political force than religion per se. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. I urge the Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of those who remain in prison because of their faith or belief. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The trioidentified as Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in the East African nation since 1994, after refusing to partake in military service, part of their pacifist beliefs as Jehovah's Witnesses. Neither camp is currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. Eritrea has been designated a "country of particular concern" by the State Department since 2004 because of its religious freedom abuses. Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. I also welcome the release, on 4 December 2020, of 24 Jehovahs 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 presentation of her report to the Human Rights Council in June 2020, and her interactive dialogue with the UN General Assembly on 26 October 2020. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses in modern times. paulos eyasu, isaac mogos and negede teklemariam releasedherramientas usadas para taller paulos eyasu, isaac mogos and negede teklemariam released. They may be third world/developing countries, but youd be shocked how wide-spread cellph. ultimate responsibility for human rights violations that are allegedly being 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. The Afwerki government revoked the citizenship of the country's Witnesses, citing their refusal to vote in the 1993 independence referendum, as well as their objection to conscription. Thus, as the physical head directs the movements and operations of the body, or the head one of a department supervises the organization and work of his staff, so the . On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. Last month, witnesses spoke with TheAssociated Press, detailing killings, looting and other abuses committed by Eritrean soldiers in Tigray. Police arrested others who were attending Christian meetings or publicly sharing their faith. Seventy Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds, including women, have been released from three prisons in Eritrea, some after being held without charge for more than a decade, according to the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide. The authorities systematically issued Certificates of Completed National Service and often praised participants for their work. As our audience increases - so do our costs. 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. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Eritrea. 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. Furthermore, Jehovahs Witnesses decline to participate in political elections. His heartmust be overflowing with praise and thanks to Jehovah. parties, and sanctions on the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who bear They also cannot receive a complete education: 12th-grade education takes place at the Sawa military camp, but because Jehovah's Witnesses conscientiously object to military service, they do not register for their final year of education. Finally to the clandestine world of art fraud and African artefacts, which are being sold to unsuspecting buyers, thanks to the fake UNESCO stamp they . [3] European Parliament, Resolution on the cases of Abune Antonios and Dawit Isaak (2017/2755(RSP)) July 6, 2017. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2017-0309_EN.html. Estimates suggest that thousands of Eritrean soldiers have fought in the Tigray War on the side of the Ethiopian government. 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. ", CSW's Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: "CSW welcomes the release of these Christians in Eritrea, who were detained without charge or trial, and should never have been incarcerated. one in charge of a division or department.". Turning to the issue of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, there has been no progress. Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, The new president declared that Eritrean-born Jehovahs Witnesses were no longer considered citizens primarily because they stood firm to their position of Christian neutrality by refusing to take part in National Service. by admin_HRWF | Dec 4, 2020 | Uncategorized. However, since this presidential decree, security forces have imprisoned, tortured, and harassed Jehovahs Witnesses in an effort to force them to renounce their faith. Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I am concerned that the conditions in the camp have impact on the right to education. There were over 96,000 Eritrean refugees in Tigray before the crisis, living largely in four refugee camps, including Hitsats, Mai-Aini, Adi Harush, and Shemelba. She added that some Eritrean soldiers went from door-to-door, killing Tigrayan men and boys as young as 7 years old. Additionally, Jehovahs Witnesses develop missionary activities in close social networks and hold religious meetings in private homes, which is illegal. What a brilliant day this is for not just them but all of us that have prayed for them over the years. Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose In 2017, they were transferred to Mai Serwa prison, where they were allowed visitors for the first time, according to Human Rights Watch. 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 While in prison, this man saw firsthand that Jehovah's Witnesses live by what they teach. 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 . They would kill you for trying, or even crying, a 48-year-old woman named Zenebu who works as a healthcare worker and lives in Colorado but was trapped in Tigray for weeks while visiting her mother, was quoted as saying. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Eritrea. . Was this article helpful? I'm so happy about this news that I have a silly smile on my face all day!!! 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. More commonly though, they arrested individuals for undisclosed reasons. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. A positive development occurred in January 2016 when a court brought to trial the Witnesses arrested at the Memorial in Asmara in April 2014. In Eritrea, the report mentioned that 52 Jehovah's Witnesses were in jail (as mentioned earlier, 28 were released on December 4). unfolding crisis in Tigray, including by imposing arms embargoes on the warring The president also stripped them of basic civil rights. On 18 December 2020, I requested an invitation to undertake an official visit to Eritrea in my capacity as Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. In recent years, several human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritrea's treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. This year has really had a lot of unexpected events. Interesting article from the Experiences of Jehovahs Witnesses series. In 2018, two Jehovahs Witnesses died after their transfer to the Mai Serwa Prison. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in the Eritrea since 1994 Why can't the government allow them to take part in an alternative civilian service group to fulfil their obligation? Citing eyewitnesses he met during a recent visit to Mai Aini, the Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam imprisoned without charge or trial. Theshouts of praise and sayings of gratitude to Jehovah from his heavenly and earthly children!! Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! One man who tried to escape from a military camp was kept in this position for two weeks, while a soldier who refused an order was tied for four hours. trial for periods of between two and 12 years. And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious . He was young and a person of impeccable character.". both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Habtemichael Tesfamariam died at the age of76 on 3 January and Habtemichael Mekonen died at the age of77 on 6 March. Funny story, last several days they were on my mind more than usual. It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. 'Jesus Revolution' leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right, Mark Wahlberg gives lessons on fasting during Lent, Sacked chaplain to appeal after losing employment tribunal case. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 Ten other men have been in prison for over ten years. Earlier this year, the United Nations Human Rights Committee asked Eritrea "to release all persons arrested or detained for exercising their freedom of religion, including Jehovahs Witnesses." It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 2020. For more details about imprisoned Jehovahs Witnesses, seehttps://hrwf.eu/prisoners-database/. Such allegations need to be investigated promptly and thoroughly by independent mechanisms. In addition, they cannot apply to travel abroad. A number of beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses have been perceived negatively by the current government. . Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. 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. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. If you want to discuss this subject, we prefer that you start a new topic. Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that the US government: [1] For more religious statistics, see U.S. Department of State, Office of International Religious Freedom, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Report on international Religious Freedom: Eritrea 2018, 2018. https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/eritrea/. If this is due to COVID-19 ( some news sources indicate others are being released for this reason). The practice of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions in Eritrea has serious impact on the life of many Eritreans. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. [2] Our Database is updated on a regular basis. CSW has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. This was the fir See more Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that the Christians - 70 in total - came from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds, with prison sentences ranging from two to 12 years. 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. I am particularly concerned about the two refugee camps, which hosted over 25,000 Eritrean refugees in Tigray region, Hitsats and Shemelba, and which were allegedly destroyed in attacks carried out by Eritrean and Ethiopian troops between November 2020 and January 2021, despite their protected humanitarian status under the 1951 Convention on the Protection of refugees. We lock topics that areover 365 days old, and the last reply made in this topic was 758 days ago. Since I started my mandate on 1 November 2020, I am monitoring the ongoing Tigray conflict in Ethiopia, which erupted on 4 November 2020, and its impact on the Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers. When Jehovahs Witnesses called on him, he told them that he had met Witnesses in his homeland. As a worldwide association of brothers, we rejoice over this development. The freed prisoners include six women who were arrested on a street after worshipping in public.. "However, this good news must not obscure the Eritrean regime's continued complicity in egregious violations of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray. ", In one case of torture at Sawa, a witness said unsuccessful deserters were tied to a corpse: One had been shot running away, the other two had their hands tied to the feet of the dead person.