25 padziernika 1994 roku prezydent Afewerki wyda dekret, ktry pozbawi wiadkw Jehowy praw obywatelskich, poniewa w roku 1993 nie wzili udziau w referendum . 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. Three men, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been in prison for conscientious objection to compulsory military service since 17 September 1994. All have maintained uncompromising integrity to Jehovah God. Amazing news! We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. 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. 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. There are currently 52 Jehovah's Witnesses being held without trial in Eritrea, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses' Office of Public Information. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. ( As I have their names memorized)! PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. Update: This article has been updated to reflect a clarification from Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson Gilles Pichaud in his statement. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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.. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam are Je - hovah's Witnesses who are being held incommunicado by the State of Eritrea. of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray. 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 call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. 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. What will happen to immigrants admitted through Bidens illegal parole program? On 27 January 2021, six female prisoners detained for worshipping in public in September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. The practice of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions in Eritrea has serious impact on the life of many Eritreans. It hurt my heart to know that the best years of their lives were completely wasted in prison. managed to reach Mai Aini, one of the two remaining camps for Eritrean refugees 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 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. This week marked 25 years in prison without charges or trial for three men in Eritrea. Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for realJehovah's Witnesses on the web. They were focused on trying to take everything of value, she added, saying that they even stole diapers. in Tigray. The authorities systematically issued Certificates of Completed National Service and often praised participants for their work. Jehovah's Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith By Location 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., Although their release has been welcomed, CSW said it is possible that Eritrea is trying to deflect international attention away from its involvement in the ongoing war in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where Eritrean troops have been accused of acts of violence that may amount to war crimes or even genocide.. 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. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were detained on Sept. 17, 1994,apparently because they conscientiously objected to military service, according to a report published in August by the Jehovah's Witnesses' Office of Public Information. Retreat, Spirituality and Pilgrimage Centres. ", Tags: Eritrea, CSW, Ethiopia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas, Eritrea: Catholic bishop and priests released from detention, "We are about to be silenced once more" - Christians in Tigray, London: Mayor Sadiq Khan, Boris Johnson, attend prayer service on anniversary of Ukraine invasion, Professor Ian Linden: Putin's war and South Africa. By By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. CSW has offices in London, Brussels, Casper WY, Edinburgh, Washington DC and Kaduna. that they mark the latest effort by the Eritrean regime to distract international currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 Paulos Eyasu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogos are Jehovah's Witnesses and have been imprisoned because of their strongly held religious beliefs. In recent years, several human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritrea's treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Eritrea. 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. 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. And the e re at from a list. In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. 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. "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. 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Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to work in government offices, and the state takes away their identity cards. Gilles Pichaud document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. On 1 February 2021, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near Asmara. 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 . I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Evangelical church redirects payments after CofE gay blessing vote, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote. 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. Jehovahs Witnesses are politically neutral and conscientiously cannot participate in military service. On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. 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. "I was with him the night before they arrested him," said Eyasu's friend, who asked for anonymity for protection. 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. On 1 February 2021, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near Asmara. 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. A number of beliefs and practices of Jehovahs Witnesses have been perceived negatively by the current government. Loopy Interesting article from the Experiences of Jehovahs Witnesses series. I wonder if we'll learn at a later time the gravity of this And it has happened so suddenly! In the context of COVID-19, I call on Eritrean authorities to release those particularly vulnerable, including older detainees and those who are sick. Neither camp is The intention was for everyone to see.. 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. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. At the same time, we will continue to keep the 24 brothers and sisters who remain in prison in Eritrea in our thoughts and prayers.Acts 12:5. Additionally, Jehovahs Witnesses develop missionary activities in close social networks and hold religious meetings in private homes, which is illegal. 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. What's wrong with the House of Bishops' proposed same-sex prayers? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. We need your help to continue this work. The Eritrean government's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses goes back to the early 1990s, when the country became independent after a 1993 referendum. However, our community is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. 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. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! 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. 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. Eritrean authorities imprisoned both men in 2008 without charges. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. Prior to enforcing conscription, Eritrean authorities had provided genuine alternatives with civilian service. On religious freedoms, I welcome the release of a large group of Christians. It is not endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. While the releases have been warmly welcomed, there is also speculation Learn about how you can report a human rights violation. According to reports, four . 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. December 4, 2020 in JW.org Press Releases & JW's in the News, BREAKING NEWS| Eritrea Releases 28 Jehovahs Witnesses From 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. You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN. 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. Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. I remain willing to engage constructively with the Government of Eritrea on urgent human rights concerns. parties, and sanctions on the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who bear https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&prefer=lang&docid=502019283&par=2. I have not yet received a response from the Eritrean authorities. We have been working with them in the field ministry and I had the priviledge of having a public talk, translated into Amahric. [2] Our Database is updated on a regular basis. By a presidential decree dated 25 October1994, President Afewerki revoked citizenship for Jehovahs Witnesses because they did not participate in the 1993 independence referendum and they are conscientious objectors to military service. Afewerkis policy of restrictions is more about his fear that religion will mobilize people as a political force than religion per se. cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her In total, over 50 Jehovah's Witnesses are currently imprisoned in Eritrea, and all are kept at Mai Serwa prison. They were held at the Sawa military training camp until 2017, when they were transferred to Mai Serwa prison, where they were briefly granted access to visitors for the first time since their imprisonment. They may be third world/developing countries, but youd be shocked how wide-spread cellph. It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. Powered by Invision Community. Currently, our jw.org lists 7 countries by name , and "other lands" , for a total of more than 165 brothers and sisters incarcerated. paulos eyasu, isaac mogos and negede teklemariam releasedAppearance > Menus (619) Patriot (728-7468) lawrence township police department clearfield pa; OPR No: 12689 | Trapper ID No: 64965. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Or is something happening on a global scale that we donot yet know about? Eritrea has been designated a "country of particular concern" by the State Department since 2004 because of its religious freedom abuses. High Commissioner said many refugees appear to have been caught in crossfire, Is this video confirmed ? Human Rights Watch reported this was "the most common torture method noted by former conscripts and detainees, practiced in all the prisons and in Wi'a and Sawa military camps. 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. The situation of detainees and political prisoners is particularly concerning. 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. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea (Report A/HRC/41/53) May 16, 2019. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/G1914037.pdf. 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. He noted their honesty and that they even shared their food with other prisoners. Three young men; Isaac, Negede and Paulos; were 18 and 21 year old when they were arrested in September 24, 1994. 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. Therefore, they do not know when they will be released. Since gaining independence, Eritrea's government has required indefinite national service by physically able adults between 18 and 70 years of age. Of the Jehovahs Witnesses currently imprisoned, 16 are known to have been arrested for conscientious objection to military service. I am in tears . Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. , Amazing how Jehovah moved those authorities to release them - the officials are probably scratching their heads, wondering why. violence which may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes and possibly As our audience increases - so do our costs. In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . You can unsubscribe at any time. I have tears in my eyes while at work. This is awesome news. Is it related to the Civil war in Ethiopia? Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. CSW welcomes the release of these Christians in Eritrea, who were detained without charge or trial, and should never have been incarcerated, CSW President Mervyn Thomas said. Then from this day forward I will have a warm place in my heart for SARS-COVID-2. While in prison, this man saw firsthand that Jehovahs Witnesses live by what they teach. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. 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. 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. In March 2002, the country passed a referendum requiring all religious groups outside of the four largest the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Eritrean Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea and Sunni Islamto obtain yearly registrations. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. They hav, Sorry sister,but did you quote that from Wikipedia or have you actually been exposed to East African culture? Jehovah's Witnesses are required to remain politically neutral as part of their faith, abstaining from voting, running for office and partaking in military service. Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. CSW has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical 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. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. As of 1 June 2020, HRWF documented 55 cases of Jehovahs Witnesses in its Prisoners Database,[2] 46 men and 9 women. That they were released just now and so many of them. Four others died in prison and three died after release, reportedly as a result of their treatment. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". ERITREA Our brothers Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam released after more than 26 years in prison. Neither camp is currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that both had been extensively and deliberately destroyed. 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. I am also concerned of the imapact of the national serice on the right to educaiton of Eritrean students. 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. In almost all cases, Jehovahs Witnesses are arrested and imprisoned without any formal criminal charges, trial or sentencing. 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. This was the fir See more It was very painful to lose such a friend. Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Their detention has also proven painful for friends and family, and one described his sorrow at losing his friend a quarter-century ago. 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. The situation of detainees and political prisoners is particularly concerning. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, Copyright 2020, Religion News 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. 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. He was young and a person of impeccable character.". I recently spoke with an ex-prisoner that spent a couple of years in Sawa prison with Jehovah's Witnesses (including Isaac, Negede and Paulos).