Eritrea Detains 18 College Evangelicals for their Faith

Eritrean security forces have detained 18 college students, evangelical Christians on Friday 8th July 2005. The operation has revealed signs of pre-planned detentions, as officers approached each student at Hahale Collage, near Asmara, as they were leaving exam halls, following their finals, Release Eritrea! informed yesterday.

Just two days before this incident, Semere Zayid, a university lecturer disappeared after a visit to report at a police station in accordance to the conditions of his release, as he was detained earlier this year. There are concerns about him being in wenjel mirmera also known as Karshelie - a crime investigation unit.

The Eritrean government with the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) party approved only 3 denominations among Christianity - Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran denominations. This resulted in the closure of 36 Churches and the detention of its leaders and followers.

At present, there are approximately 900 Eritrean Christians held in prison, without trials or any legal due course.

The persecution of Christians not belonging to the state approved denominations has been getting more fierce over past months, as students have been arrested as well. Just a few weeks ago 80 high school students were detained as they were celebrating the end of term together.

Director of Release Eritrea!, which is a global partnership of Eritreans and friends of Eritrea standing against religious persecution, Dr. Berhane Asmelash said: "The arrests obviously alarm me both in the fact that more people are being arrested but also I am worried about the fact that young people are being targeted in quite an organised manner, and detained even when they are going about their peaceful activities."