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Persecution in Eritrea intensified on October 25, 1994, about a year and a half after Eritrea became an independent country from Ethiopia. Eritrea has not yet put in place an institutional and legal framework to uphold minimum human rights standards in a democratic society. And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious . [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. theia group stock This is awesome news. Four Witness men have died while in prison, and three died after they were released because of the harsh conditions they suffered. Jehovah's Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith By Location Eritrea has failed to implement the recommendations issued by these authorities. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. On Jan. 27, six female prisoners, who had been in detention since last September, in Dekemhare, which is southeast of Asmara, were also released. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Today or rather yesterday is going to be a good day and one to remember for a long time. On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. 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. However, this good news must On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. "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.". Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. 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 . If this is due to COVID-19 ( some news sources indicate others are being released for this reason). Eritrea has been designated a "country of particular concern" by the State Department since 2004 because of its religious freedom abuses. refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. 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 . Image copyright: Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information. 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. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses in modern times. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. By signing up you will receive news about CSW's work and how you can support it. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in However, the Ethiopian government has denied the involvement of Eritrean soldiers in the conflict. 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. When Jehovahs Witnesses called on him, he told them that he had met Witnesses in his homeland. I am in tears . And when will the authorities release Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, three conscientious objectors held for 26 years? In 2013, Amnesty International researcher Claire Beston called Eritrea "one of the most repressive, secretive and inaccessible countries in the world.". 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. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her Known as the Tigray War, the armed conflict has been ongoing since last November between the Tigray Regional Government (led by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front) and forces supportive of the Ethiopian government, which include military forces from Eritrea. "Some of those Witnesses have been imprisoned for more than 20 years. 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. Statements "Our families spent the whole evening together. international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release The JW's doctrine of political neutrality has led to imprisonment of members who refused conscription. Now for the rest of our brothers and sister's to come on out!!! Their detention has also proven painful for friends and family, and one described his sorrow at losing his friend a quarter-century ago. Thanks for your help Tortuga !!! Eritrea's military abducted the victims with- out warrant or legitimate cause on September 17, 1994, ap- parently because they conscientiously objected to military service. 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. I call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. 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 It is reported that approximately 60 to 65 per cent of students at Sawa do not obtain the results needed for further studies and are either drafted directly into military service or sent to vocational training programmes. The Eritrean authorities will demonstrate their genuine commitment to human rights when they release those individuals arbitrarily held in Eritrean prisons and provide information about those who have . In addition, 39 men and 10 women who. They have spent between 5 and 26 years in prison. Learn more about each topic, see who's involved, and find the latest news, reports, events and more. Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. The country is ruled by a totalitarian one-party dictatorship of Maoist inspiration. 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. Wouldn't it be thrilling if Jehovah was securing their release because the Great Tribulation was about to start? JWTalk - Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. 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. 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. However, since this presidential decree, security forces have imprisoned, tortured, and harassed Jehovahs Witnesses in an effort to force them to renounce their faith. Required fields are marked *. Furthermore, Jehovahs Witnesses decline to participate in political elections. 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.. managed to reach Mai Aini, one of the two remaining camps for Eritrean refugees Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. They have spent between 5 and26 yearsin prison. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years.In addition, 39 men and 10 women who are Witnesses are also imprisoned. With no beauracracy or lengthy procedure - just released suddenly! The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. Currently, our jw.org lists 7 countries by name , and "other lands" , for a total of more than 165 brothers and sisters incarcerated. According to the UN 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. . violence which may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes and possibly . What's wrong with the House of Bishops' proposed same-sex prayers? 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. Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years, and whose Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/eritrea/, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2017-0309_EN.html, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/G1914037.pdf, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Egypt.pdf, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Eritrea.pdf, Human Rights Without Frontiers International. In the context of COVID-19, I call on Eritrean authorities to release those particularly vulnerable, including older detainees and those who are sick. 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. 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. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time. Several new topics have been merged into this topic. from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, close to the capital city, Asmara. I'm so excited for them and happy for those that have been waiting and waiting for them to come home. 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. However, this good news must not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray.. Jehovah's Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. [6] United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Annual Report, USCIRF. All rights reserved. His heartmust be overflowing with praise and thanks to Jehovah. UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts sold in its name. not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations As our audience increases - so do our costs. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26795&LangID=E, Eritrea one of the least accessible countries for humanitarian organisations, Searches, Arrests, and Tension in Eritrea, Eritreas jailed journalist exhibition opens in UK Parliament, Dispute over Patriach splits Norwegian Orthodox church in two, Twenty one years after being jailed, Eritreas independent journalists are remembered in the British Parliament. However, 75-year-old Afewerki, the leader of the ruling Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice Party, has the reputation of being an alcoholic and a ruthless autocrat. I also received first-hand accounts of allegations of grave human rights and humanitarian law violations, including extra judicial killings, targeted abductions and forced return of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers to Eritrea, allegedly by Eritrean forces. [2] Our Database is updated on a regular basis. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray. It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved.