Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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. 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. A Christian migrant from Eritrea shows a crucifix made of wood after she attended a Sunday mass at the makeshift church in "The New Jungle" near Calais, France, August 2, 2015. 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. 144hz monitor stuttering; . Required fields are marked *. They were paraded round the camp in the back of a Toyota pickup truck. In Eritrea, the report mentioned that 52 Jehovah's Witnesses were in jail (as mentioned earlier, 28 were released on December 4). 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 women were arrested after worshipping in public as they were walking down a street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media. With one recent exception, those imprisoned have never had the opportunity to offer a defence in court. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. 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. Your email address will not be published. Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. genocide. 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. 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. theia group stock 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. that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being 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. If this is due to COVID-19 ( some news sources indicate others are being released for this reason). 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 religious freedoms, I welcome the release of a large group of Christians. They were released after 26 years on February 5th, 2021. I'm so happy about this news that I have a silly smile on my face all day!!! It was very painful to lose such a friend. We are a pro-JW community maintained by brothers and sisters around the world. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1991 after 30 years of continuous armed struggle by the Eritrean Liberation Front. 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. We have been working with them in the field ministry and I had the priviledge of having a public talk, translated into Amahric. 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. Citing eyewitnesses he met during a recent visit to Mai Aini, the 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). It is not endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. 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. This is awesome news. to the UN Third Committee in New York in October 2020. managed to reach Mai Aini, one of the two remaining camps for Eritrean refugees [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. Today or rather yesterday is going to be a good day and one to remember for a long time. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. 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. Why is same-sex marriage an issue in the election of the new Scottish First Minister? detained. 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. The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. Sorry for the Trouble. In addition, 39 men and 10 women who. Their detention has also proven painful for friends and family, and one described his sorrow at losing his friend a quarter-century ago. Update: This article has been updated to reflect a clarification from Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson Gilles Pichaud in his statement. Image copyright: Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. Brothers Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were released after 26 years of imprisonment.They were put in Prison for refusing Military Service. I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. Furthermore, Jehovahs Witnesses decline to participate in political elections. I'm so excited for them and happy for those that have been waiting and waiting for them to come home. final statement "Some of those Witnesses have been imprisoned for more than 20 years. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. "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. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. As a result, Witnesses are not allowed to hold government identity cards or business licenses, or to complete high school. 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 . We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. In recent years, prominent human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritreas blatant disregard for international human rights standards, including cases involving Jehovahs Witnesses. Then from this day forward I will have a warm place in my heart for SARS-COVID-2. 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. Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. 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. ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. She said their pockets were filled with stolen jewelry and recalled some troops trying on looted clothing. 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. It's well past the time they were released. On Dec. 4, the government released 24 Jehovah's Witnesses, including conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years. On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. Theshouts of praise and sayings of gratitude to Jehovah from his heavenly and earthly children!! committed with impunity by their respective forces.. I am concerned that the conditions in the camp have impact on the right to education. Kate Forbes: Would a Christian be permitted to lead Scotland. They refuse to kill or receive training on how to kill. violence which may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes and possibly You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. Like many others imprisoned in Eritrea, detained Jehovahs Witnesses have no legal recourse and so cannot challenge their indefinite detention. The authorities systematically issued Certificates of Completed National Service and often praised participants for their work. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? I was speaking with Jehovah, petitioning and giving all the reasons why their trial had to come to an end. In 2017, they were transferred to Mai Serwa prison, where they were allowed visitors for the first time, according to Human Rights Watch. '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. [emailprotected] Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, He was a very honest, hardworking, upright man. a essas acusaes em julgamento. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He noted their honesty and that they even shared their food with other prisoners. However, our community is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Such allegations need to be investigated promptly and thoroughly by independent mechanisms. refugees from Hitsat and Shimelba camps are currently missing. 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 Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Statements We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This week marked 25 years in prison without charges or trial for three men in Eritrea. Stand up for Human Rights. 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. Among other restrictions, Jehovahs Witnesses are not able to receive a full secular education, own a business, or travel outside of the country. Eritrea has been designated a "country of particular concern" by the State Department since 2004 because of its religious freedom abuses. 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. 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. After 19 years in detention, where is Dawit Isaak and when will he be released? The JW's doctrine of political neutrality has led to imprisonment of members who refused conscription. Jehovah's Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith By Location What's wrong with the House of Bishops' proposed same-sex prayers? 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.
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