While in prison, this man saw firsthand that Jehovah's Witnesses live by what they teach. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". detained. Administrative Office 2525 W. Greenway Rd., Ste. I urge the Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of those who remain in prison because of their faith or belief. Eritrea has been designated a "country of particular concern" by the State Department since 2004 because of its religious freedom abuses. Soon after Eritrea gained independence in 1993, President Isaias Afwerki began a crackdown on religious groups he felt opposed to the state. 24 left!!!! 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. CSW has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical 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. I too was thinking about that same thing, what significance is this for Jehovah? According to reports, four . And the e re at from a list. 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. 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. currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that On Dec. 4, the government released 24 Jehovahs Witnesses, including conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who had been held for 26 years. Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. Police arrested others who were attending Christian meetings or publicly sharing their faith. 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. They were released after 26 years on February 5th, 2021. by admin_HRWF | Dec 4, 2020 | Uncategorized. 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. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. 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. After 19 years in detention, where is Dawit Isaak and when will he be released? I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? cases were highlighted by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea in her Zenebu detailed how she looked on as she saw Eritrean soldiers loot the belongings from residents homes. final statement The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. 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 October 2020. a essas acusaes em julgamento. I am also concerned of the imapact of the national serice on the right to educaiton of Eritrean students. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. 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 . https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/#newsAlerts, Trimis de pe al meu Redmi Note 4 folosind Tapatalk, This so wonderful for our brothers!!!! We will all keep watching closely for the latest developments. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. None of the three have been charged or granted a hearing. By signing up you will receive news about CSW's work and how you can support it. This year has really had a lot of unexpected events. [4] General Assembly of the United Nations, Situation of human rights in Eritrea. UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts sold in its name. 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. On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. They hav, Sorry sister,but did you quote that from Wikipedia or have you actually been exposed to East African culture? As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. The freed prisoners include six women who were arrested on a street after worshipping in public.. The situation of detainees and political prisoners is particularly concerning. 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. genocide. I am concerned that the conditions in the camp have impact on the right to education. With one recent exception, those imprisoned have never had the opportunity to offer a defence in court. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Wouldn't it be thrilling if Jehovah was securing their release because the Great Tribulation was about to start? Tradues em contexto de "acusaes em julgamento" en portugus-espanhol da Reverso Context : Logo, o ru no ter que responder. 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. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam imprisoned without charge or trial. 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 a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. 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). 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." This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In September 2018, he was baptized as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. Your email address will not be published. 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. Dennis Christensen and many otherstoo. Today or rather yesterday is going to be a good day and one to remember for a long time. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. Thank you Jehovah . Interesting article from the Experiences of Jehovahs Witnesses series. We call on the 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. 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. parties, and sanctions on the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who bear In the context of COVID-19, I call on Eritrean authorities to release those particularly vulnerable, including older detainees and those who are sick. HRWF puts a database of news from a variety of outside sources at the disposal of human rights researchers. international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release Image copyright: Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information. 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. In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. Powered by Invision Community. As of 1 June 2020, HRWF documented 55 cases of Jehovahs Witnesses in its Prisoners Database,[2] 46 men and 9 women. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. At Sawa, Mai Serwa, and other prisons and camps, detainees are often held in shipping containers. Jehovah's Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith By Location Eritrea. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. Thanks for your help Tortuga !!! Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. 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. I hope the Eritrean authorities will cooperate with my mandate and I am still awaiting their response. Their detention has also proven painful for friends and family, and one described his sorrow at losing his friend a quarter-century ago. . This is awesome news. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. 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. Some of the prisoners had been held without charge or trial for up to 12 years. ( As I have their names memorized)! Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for realJehovah's Witnesses on the web. Gilles Pichaud See our advertising page if you would like more information. [2] Our Database is updated on a regular basis. Loopy The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". In September, HRWF had published its report In Prison For Their Faith 2020. 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. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. On 27 January 2021, six female prisoners detained for worshipping in public in September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. Or is something happening on a global scale that we donot yet know about? Witnesses, including the high-profile conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, The majority of the imprisoned male Jehovahs Witnesses are incarcerated indefinitely, with no hope of release until they die or are near death. In recent years, several human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritrea's treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. Persecution in Eritrea intensified on October 25, 1994, about a year and a half after Eritrea became an independent country from Ethiopia. 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. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. Jehovahs Witnesses behind bars: some statistics. Why is same-sex marriage an issue in the election of the new Scottish First Minister? The authorities systematically issued Certificates of Completed National Service and often praised participants for their work. We have been working with them in the field ministry and I had the priviledge of having a public talk, translated into Amahric. For more details about imprisoned Jehovahs Witnesses, seehttps://hrwf.eu/prisoners-database/. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media. not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations Because they will not participate in compulsory military service, Eritrean authorities consider them to be opposed to the regime. Most do not know how long they will remain in prison. [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. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, approximately 20,000 All have maintained uncompromising integrity to Jehovah God. 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. Since gaining independence, Eritrea's government has required indefinite national service by physically able adults between 18 and 70 years of age. He noted their honesty and that they . 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. We lock topics that areover 365 days old, and the last reply made in this topic was 758 days ago. Several new topics have been merged into this topic. There he found himself with three WitnessesPaulos Eyasu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogoswho had been incarcerated for their faith since 1994. On December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith.