All Witnesses currently in prison have never been charged, appeared in court, or sentenced. Od wielu lat wadze Erytrei bez procesw i aktw oskarenia pod zarzutem dziaalnoci religijnej lub bez podania powodu aresztuj i wtrcaj do wizienia wiadkw Jehowy, w tym kobiety i starcw. Authorities arrested Eyasu, Mogos and Teklemariam on September 17, 1994, but formal charges were never filed and they've never come before the court. 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 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. refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. By signing up you will receive news about CSW's work and how you can support it. Tuesday marks the 25th anniversary of the imprisonment of three Jehovah's Witnesses in Eritrea, where they have been subject to torture and allowed little contact with the world outside the prison walls. 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. In December 24 Jehovah's Witnesses were freed, among them high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years. The men's families appealed for help to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, but the Eritrean government has ignored their request to allow lawyers, family members, and doctors to visit the three prisoners. I am in tears . 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. December 4, 2020 in JW.org Press Releases & JW's in the News, BREAKING NEWS| Eritrea Releases 28 Jehovahs Witnesses From Prison Cant wait to hear more about this. There he found himself with three WitnessesPaulos Eyasu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogoswho had been incarcerated for their faith since 1994. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? 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 For more details about imprisoned Jehovahs Witnesses, seehttps://hrwf.eu/prisoners-database/. 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. Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. The authorities systematically issued Certificates of Completed National Service and often praised participants for their work. Interesting article from the Experiences of Jehovahs Witnesses series. 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. CSW has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical 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 . On 28 January 2021, in my letter to the Government of Ethiopia, I called on the Ethiopian authorities to protect the human rights of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in the Tigray region, and to ensure respect for their rights under human rights law, international humanitarian law and international refugee law. 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. They are now in their late 30's-early 40's and still in prison. "They have never been charged nor given the opportunity to defend themselves in court. Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. For example, since the last report of my predecessor, some prisoners such as Dawit Isaak, a Swedish-Eritrean journalist, and of ten of his colleagues remain for two decades in incommunicado detention. 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. 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. I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. 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[4] General Assembly of the United Nations, Situation of human rights in Eritrea. 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. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses in modern times. and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in 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.. We will all keep watching closely for the latest developments. Around 3,000 former residents of Shimelba and Hitsat have reportedly "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. It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. by admin_HRWF | Dec 4, 2020 | Uncategorized. trial, and should never have been incarcerated. ( As I have their names memorized)! 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. Police arrested others who were attending Christian meetings or publicly sharing their faith. A number of beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses have been perceived negatively by the current government. We expect allcommunity members to be active publishers in their congregations,therefore, please do not apply for membership if you are not currently one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Wouldn't it be thrilling if Jehovah was securing their release because the Great Tribulation was about to start? 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. I'm so happy about this news that I have a silly smile on my face all day!!! Or is something happening on a global scale that we donot yet know about? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We will continue to merge any new topics that are created about this Breaking News. ", 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. Sie wurden ohne Anklage oder Urteil festgehalten. It does not store any personal data. On religious freedoms, I welcome the release of a large group of Christians. On 1 February 2021, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near Asmara. In what could be an attempt to distract the attention of the international community from Eritreas role in the ongoing war in the Tigray region in neighboring Ethiopia, the Eritrean government last Monday released 21 female and 43 male prisoners from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near the capital city of Asmara, CSW reported. Funny story, last several days they were on my mind more than usual. Since then, national presidential or legislative elections have never taken place. And the e re at from a list. Many of the brothers and sisters who are in the Tigrinja Congeration in Oslo have family who have been prisoned. Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. forcibly returned to Eritrea from two camps in Tigray, many of whom were allegedly Alex Murdaugh trial: Murderer sentenced to consecutive life sentences after being found guilty. Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for realJehovah's Witnesses on the web. 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. The Eritrean government's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses goes back to the early 1990s, when the country became independent after a 1993 referendum. The Parliament demanded that all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea be immediately and unconditionally released and that the Eritrean Government provide detailed information on the fate and whereabouts of all those deprived of physical liberty. 1940s First communities of Jehovah's Witnesses are established in Eritrea. There are no reliable figures on religious affiliation, but it is estimated that 49% of the population are Christian and 49% are Sunni Muslim.[1]. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1991 after 30 years of continuous armed struggle by the Eritrean Liberation Front. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. [3], Presented to the UN Human Rights Council on 16 May 2019, the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea stated that Jehovahs Witnesses face severe persecution, including denial of citizenship and travel papers, for their political neutrality and conscientious objection to military service. In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. CSW has offices in London, Brussels, Casper WY, Edinburgh, Washington DC and Kaduna. It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 2020. While I welcome the release by the authorities of the Christians and Jehovahs Witnesses, I have to note that Eritrea continues to impose restrictions on religious freedoms. unfolding crisis in Tigray, including by imposing arms embargoes on the warring genocide. [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. Soon after Eritrea gained independence in 1993, President Isaias Afwerki began a crackdown on religious groups he felt opposed to the state. They have spent between 5 and 26 years in prison. In December, 24 Jehovah's Witnesses were freed, among them high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years. In September 2018, he was baptized as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. When Jehovahs Witnesses called on him, he told them that he had met Witnesses in his homeland. 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. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam imprisoned without charge or trial. This was the fir See more 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. Neither camp is currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. 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. They were focused on trying to take everything of value, she added, saying that they even stole diapers. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. My CO sentit to me. As a worldwide association of brothers, we rejoice over this development. Citing eyewitnesses he met during a recent visit to Mai Aini, the She added that some Eritrean soldiers went from door-to-door, killing Tigrayan men and boys as young as 7 years old. UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts sold in its name. The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. . You can unsubscribe at any time. I remain willing to engage constructively with the Government of Eritrea on urgent human rights concerns. In a 1994 decree, President Isaias Afwerki revoked Jehovah's Witnesses' citizenship because they remained neutral during the fight for independence, did not participate in the 1993 referendum, and conscientiously objected to military service. I have received information from credible sources that, as of November 2020, the situation of these refugees and asylum seekers has become more precarious and worrisome. However, this good news must This week marked 25 years in prison without charges or trial for three men in Eritrea. street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. What will happen to immigrants admitted through Bidens illegal parole program? 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? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. ", 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. 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.