It is my honour to present my first oral update to the Council since taking up the role of Special Rapporteur last November 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. It is difficult to speak of progress in Eritrea while their cases remain unresolved. In recent years, several human rights bodies have expressed increasing concern over Eritrea's treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. September 2020 in Dekemhare, south-east of Asmara, were also released. The freed prisoners include six women who were arrested on a street after worshipping in public.. of all those detained arbitrarily on account of their religion or belief. 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. According to reports, four . He has been imprisoned for the past 25 years. Thank you Jehovah . Most of the prisoners were freed from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, near the capital, Asmara, on 1 February. Then from this day forward I will have a warm place in my heart for SARS-COVID-2. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "I was with him the night before they arrested him," said Eyasu's friend, who asked for anonymity for protection. not obscure the Eritrean regimes continued complicity in egregious violations PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. In September 2018, he was baptized as one of Jehovahs Witnesses. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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 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. 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. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. 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. In addition, 39 men and 10 women who. We believe no one should suffer discrimination, harassment or persecution because of their beliefs. 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. I canimagine a broadcast in the coming months containinginterviews with these faithful brothers and sisters. and orthodox backgrounds were recently released from three prisons in Some of the prisoners had been held without charge or trial for up to 12 years. CSW said they were detained without charge or trial, and "should never have been incarcerated". [emailprotected] 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. While in prison, this man saw firsthand that Jehovahs Witnesses live by what they teach. A positive development occurred in January 2016 when a court brought to trial the Witnesses arrested at the Memorial in Asmara in April 2014. 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. 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. They hav, Sorry sister,but did you quote that from Wikipedia or have you actually been exposed to East African culture? Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam have been imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. 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. Eritrea. Some Jehovahs Witness prisoners have been detained in metal shipping containers, while others were held in stone or metal buildings half buried in the ground. 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Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. . You can unsubscribe at any time. What will happen to immigrants admitted through Bidens illegal parole program? Eritrea is the center point of some of the most intense persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. I am in tears . "They have never been charged nor given the opportunity to defend themselves in court. These are other examples of numerous cases of individuals who are currently languishing in Eritrean prisons, with no prospect of release. Three men, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been in prison for conscientious objection to compulsory military service since 17 September1994. 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 . Recommended for countries of particular concern: Eritrea, 2020, 2020. https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Egypt.pdfhttps://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Eritrea.pdf. Dennis Christensen and many otherstoo. I am concerned that the conditions in the camp have impact on the right to education. Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. 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. The JW's doctrine of political neutrality has led to imprisonment of members who refused conscription. [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. Turning to the issue of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, there has been no progress. The Eritrean government's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses goes back to the early 1990s, when the country became independent after a 1993 referendum. The prisoners had been held without charge or trial for periods of between two and 12 years. In a sudden turn of events, the man himself was put in prison. Jehovah's Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994. Afewerkis policy of restrictions is more about his fear that religion will mobilize people as a political force than religion per se. None of the three have been charged or granted a hearing. ( As I have their names memorized)! war in Ethiopias Tigray region, where Eritrean troops have been accused of Sixty-four of the Christians had no charges and some of them were jailed for worshipping in public. We have been working with them in the field ministry and I had the priviledge of having a public talk, translated into Amahric. That was the last time I saw my friend. Powered by Invision Community. Four others died in prison and three died after release, reportedly as a result of their treatment. It is not endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. I was speaking with Jehovah, petitioning and giving all the reasons why their trial had to come to an end. 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. genocide. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. ERITREA Our brothers Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam released after more than 26 years in prison. I know he has not done anything wrong, and he has been suffering for so long, it really breaks my heart. 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. However, this good news must not obscure the Eritrean regime's continued complicity in egregious violations of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray. He was a very honest, hardworking, upright man. JWTalk - Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community Why is same-sex marriage an issue in the election of the new Scottish First Minister? 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. 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. Among other restrictions, Jehovahs Witnesses are not able to receive a full secular education, own a business, or travel outside of the country. On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, close to the capital city, Asmara. The intention was for everyone to see.. Is it related to the Civilwar in Ethiopia? 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. international community to press Eritrea for the immediate and unconditional release 1940s First communities of Jehovah's Witnesses are established in Eritrea. 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. Since then, national presidential or legislative elections have never taken place. 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. 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. Known as the Tigray War, the armed conflict has been ongoing since last November between the Tigray Regional Government (led by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front) and forces supportive of the Ethiopian government, which include military forces from Eritrea. This is awesome news. Is this video confirmed ? I wonder if we'll learn at a later time the gravity of this And it has happened so suddenly! By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that the US government: [1] For more religious statistics, see U.S. Department of State, Office of International Religious Freedom, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Report on international Religious Freedom: Eritrea 2018, 2018. https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/eritrea/. They are now aged 41, 40, and 38 respectively, having spent their youth in confinement. I remain willing to engage constructively with the Government of Eritrea on urgent human rights concerns. Police arrested others who were attending Christian meetings or publicly sharing their faith. All Witnesses currently in prison have never been charged, appeared in court, or sentenced. The prisoners had been held between two and 12 years. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. 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. 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 . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The majority of the imprisoned male Jehovahs Witnesses are incarcerated indefinitely, with no hope of release until they die or are near death. Jehovahs Witnesses behind bars: some statistics. I am concerned that the conditions in the camp have impact on the right to education. PaulosEyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. 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. TODAY, December 4, 2020, 26 brothers and 2 sisters in Eritrea were set free after being imprisoned for their faith. UNESCO urges caution over fraudulent African artefacts sold in its name. currently accessible; however, in January 2021 satellite imagery revealed that ultimate responsibility for human rights violations that are allegedly being Update: This article has been updated to reflect a clarification from Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson Gilles Pichaud in his statement. In addition, they cannot apply to travel abroad. 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. I call on Eritrean authorities to put an end to such treatments and comply with their international human rights obligations. More commonly though, they arrested individuals for undisclosed reasons. 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. committed with impunity by their respective forces.. By . Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Woke up this morning and found out they were suddenly released! Reports indicate that, in recent weeks, Eritrea has released 70 jailed Christians of evangelical and orthodox who were held in three prisons. High Commissioner said many refugees appear to have been caught in crossfire, Their detention has also proven painful for friends and family, and one described his sorrow at losing his friend a quarter-century ago. I also ( suspiciously) wonder why this is happening now? There are no reliable figures on religious affiliation, but it is estimated that 49% of the population are Christian and 49% are Sunni Muslim.[1]. 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. I too was thinking about that same thing, what significance is this for Jehovah? However, the Ethiopian government has denied the involvement of Eritrean soldiers in the conflict. 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. The trioidentified as Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariamhave been incarcerated in. I urge the Eritrean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all of those who remain in prison because of their faith or belief. As of September 17, 2019, three of the Witnesses, Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam, have been unjustly incarcerated for 25 years. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This is fantastically great news when so little news is good. Big cities run by Democrats for decades are now supposedly 'ungovernable', HBO's sexploitation is a workers' rights travesty, WATCH: Steven Spielberg likens rise in antisemitism to 'Germany in the '30s', AOC gloats after construction of Virginia Amazon headquarters delayed as company cuts jobs, Alex Murdaugh trial: Watch the key video that could've sealed guilty murder verdict. 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. One man who tried to escape from a military camp was kept in this position for two weeks, while a soldier who refused an order was tied for four hours. Neither camp is They include conscientious objectors Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos and Negede Teklemariam, who have been held for 26 years. Prior to enforcing conscription, Eritrean authorities had provided genuine alternatives with civilian service. Several new topics have been merged into this topic. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In 2017, they were transferred to Mai Serwa prison, where they were allowed visitors for the first time, according to Human Rights Watch. Paulos Eyassu, Isaac Mogos, Negede Teklamarium most of all. Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to work in government offices, and the state takes away their identity cards. This was the fir See more 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. 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. forcibly returned to Eritrea from two camps in Tigray, many of whom were allegedly [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. The president also stripped them of basic civil rights. re-designate Eritrea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom; impose targeted sanctions on Eritrean government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals assets and/or barring their entry into the US under human rights related financial and visa authorities; use bilateral and multilateral diplomatic channels to urge the government of Eritrea to: release unconditionally detainees held on account of their religious activities; publish the registration law for religious groups along with clear guidelines for applying for or appealing decisions; end religious persecution of unregistered religious communities and grant full citizenship rights to Jehovahs Witnesses. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Ten other men have been in prison for over ten years. 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. 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. 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. "However, this good news must not obscure the Eritrean regime's continued complicity in egregious violations of human rights, both within its own borders and now in Tigray. Gilles Pichaud 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. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. Tradues em contexto de "acusaes em julgamento" en portugus-espanhol da Reverso Context : Logo, o ru no ter que responder. I hope the Eritrean authorities will cooperate with my mandate and I am still awaiting their response. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. On 1 February, 21 female and 43 male prisoners were released 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. 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. Brothers Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were released after 26 years of imprisonment.They were put in Prison for refusing Military Service. Esteemed Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Finally, since my appointment, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with Eritrean officials. 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. See brochure: SPECIAL REPORT: The Persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses in Eritrea.. 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. ( As I have their names memorized)! 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. Eritrean authorities imprisoned both men in 2008 without charges. 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. Ive prayed for these brothers and sisters ( often by name ) for many years. unfolding crisis in Tigray, including by imposing arms embargoes on the warring 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.
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