CSW has offices in London, Brussels, Casper WY, Edinburgh, Washington DC and Kaduna. . They hav, Sorry sister,but did you quote that from Wikipedia or have you actually been exposed to East African culture? 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. 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. There he found himself with three WitnessesPaulos Eyasu, Negede Teklemariam, and Isaac Mogoswho had been incarcerated for their faith since 1994. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. 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. international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 2020. https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&prefer=lang&docid=502019283&par=2. All have maintained uncompromising integrity to Jehovah God. On 1 February 2021, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons near Asmara. As our audience increases - so do our costs. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. Loopy 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. 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 . 25 padziernika 1994 roku prezydent Afewerki wyda dekret, ktry pozbawi wiadkw Jehowy praw obywatelskich, poniewa w roku 1993 nie wzili udziau w referendum . We believe no one should suffer discrimination, harassment or persecution because of their beliefs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The situation of detainees and political prisoners is particularly concerning. street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media. In addition, 39 men and 10 women who are Witnesses are also imprisoned. I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. ", 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. The trioidentified as Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in. Christian Solidarity Worldwide has been informed that 70 Christians from evangelical and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Eritrea. genocide. Authorities arrested Eyasu, Mogos and Teklemariam on September 17, 1994, but formal charges were never filed and they've never come before the court. I cannot imagine how these dear ones will adjust after so long imprisoned. Gilles Pichaud In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. 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 . With one recent exception, those imprisoned have never had the opportunity to offer a defence in court. With no beauracracy or lengthy procedure - just released suddenly! The president also stripped them of basic civil rights. 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. 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. 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. In addition, 39 men and 10 women who. 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. Three men, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been in prison for conscientious objection to compulsory military service since 17 September1994. However, our community is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. trial for periods of between two and 12 years. Special Procedures, 46rd Session of the Human Rights Council. 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. We call on the Learn about how you can report a human rights violation. Ten other men have been in prison for over ten years. Eritrea. What's wrong with the House of Bishops' proposed same-sex prayers? ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. All 52 Jehovahs Witnesses in prison in Eritrea have never been charged, appeared in court, or sentenced. I'm so excited for them and happy for those that have been waiting and waiting for them to come home. Cant wait to hear more about this. 1940s First communities of Jehovah's Witnesses are established in Eritrea. The country lacks rule of law, a constitution and an independent judiciary to enforce the protection of and respect for human rights. 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. Sorry for the Trouble. The country is ruled by a totalitarian one-party dictatorship of Maoist inspiration. The releases also coincide with reports that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being forcibly returned to Eritrea from two camps in Tigray, many of whom were allegedly detained. Because they will not participate in compulsory military service, Eritrean authorities consider them to be opposed to the regime. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As a worldwide association of brothers, we rejoice over this development. This week marked 25 years in prison without charges or trial for three men in Eritrea. While the releases have been warmly welcomed, there is also speculation Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. My wife work in the same company as family members of one of the 3 brothers who have been in prison for so long time. that have emerged consistently since December 2020 of thousands of refugees being Jehovah's Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. At Sawa, Mai Serwa, and other prisons and camps, detainees are often held in shipping containers. Theshouts of praise and sayings of gratitude to Jehovah from his heavenly and earthly children!! They were paraded round the camp in the back of a Toyota pickup truck. Statements 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. I am also concerned of the imapact of the national serice on the right to educaiton of Eritrean students. Is this video confirmed ? Apparently one of the brothers being released. I wonder if we'll learn at a later time the gravity of this And it has happened so suddenly! They are now in their late 30's-early 40's and still in prison. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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. On Jan. 27, six female prisoners, who had been in detention since last September, in Dekemhare, which is southeast of Asmara, were also released. Today or rather yesterday is going to be a good day and one to remember for a long time. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? See our advertising page if you would like more information. I have not yet received a response from the Eritrean authorities. If you have any questions about our services, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us.. 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. [4], The Special Rapporteur urged the Government of Eritrea to engage in dialogue with this congregation and release those in prison. Amazing news! Wouldn't it be thrilling if Jehovah was securing their release because the Great Tribulation was about to start? that they mark the latest effort by the Eritrean regime to distract international We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. On 27 January, six female prisoners who were detained in 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. [6] United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Annual Report, USCIRF. Press briefing note on Myanmar/Bangladesh - Rohingya, UN expert implores Myanmars Suu Kyi: open your eyes, listen, feel with your heart, National institutions and regional mechanisms. None of the three have been charged or granted a hearing. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, among others, have been imprisoned for over 20 years for their Christian faith. On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, close to the capital city, Asmara. I hope the Eritrean authorities will cooperate with my mandate and I am still awaiting their response. I have tears in my eyes while at work. You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN. "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. They are now aged 41, 40, and 38 respectively, having spent their youth in confinement. in Tigray. 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. 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. Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in the Eritrea since 1994 Why can't the government allow them to take part in an alternative civilian service group to fulfil their obligation? "They have never been charged nor given the opportunity to defend themselves in court. Required fields are marked *. Interesting article from the Experiences of Jehovahs Witnesses series. Three Jehovah's Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been incarcerated for 25 years. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. They include conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who have been held for 26 years. 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. Thanks for your help Tortuga !!! [3] European Parliament, Resolution on the cases of Abune Antonios and Dawit Isaak (2017/2755(RSP)) July 6, 2017. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2017-0309_EN.html. In October last, 69 Christians had been released, apparently due to the Covid, but five more had been arrested. "I was with him the night before they arrested him," said Eyasu's friend, who asked for anonymity for protection. 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