Seek justice for Eritrean Christians

Join Christians across Europe in writing to the Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid using the letter here.

In May 2006, the EU granted Eritrea €122,000,000 in aid over a five-year period. Write to the Commissioner and demand that the EU implements accountability to ensure these funds are not diverted to military or other uses. The EU must also set clear benchmarks for progress in each of the areas mentioned in the agreement.

At a joint press conference EU Commissioner Louis Michel hailed the Eritrean President as a key ally in the search for peace in the Horn of Africa. However he made no mention of Eritrea's dismal human rights record as evidenced by the flight of several journalists from government-owned newspapers and the continuing arrests and torture of Christians, including children.

The scale of the problem

In 2002, government spokespersons began comparing Pentecostal/charismatic and evangelical churches with Islamists and branded them a danger to national security.

As a consequence of this, all churches not belonging to the Orthodox, Catholic or Lutheran denominations in Eritrea were ordered to close in May 2002.

The government continues to severely restrict freedom of religion for unregistered groups, including the relatively small evangelical Churches. More than 2,000 Christians are currently imprisoned there without official charges or access to judicial process.

Many have been beaten and physically abused by police, and some are locked into metal shipping containers with no windows, enduring the searing heat of the desert by day and freezing cold at night. Two were tortured to death two days after their arrest for holding a religious service in a private home.

The aim of this cruel treatment is to get believers to sign papers recanting their faith.

Persecution has been particularly bad in the armed forces. Prayer meetings in the army are now forbidden and possession of a Bible results in severe punishment; there are unconfirmed reports of several young Christian soldiers having been shot after being discovered reading the Bible.

Get informed and pray with our Eritrea Country Prayer Profile »