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PO Box 47 
3840 AA Harderwijk 
The Netherlands 
T + 31 341 465 073 
United Nations Human Rights Council 
Universal Periodic Review – Eritrea 
5 men and women, members of the Faith of Christ Church, who had been worshiping in a 
private home in Massawa were arrested on 6 January 2008. All of them were released again 
on 16 February 2008. 
According to International Christian Concern, in January 2008,  the government transferred 
Orthodox Church patriarch Abune Antonios who has been under house arrest since August 
2005 to an undisclosed location in order to prevent any contact with him by members of a 
visiting delegation led by U.S. Congressman Donald Payne. Immediately after the departure 
of the congressman the security brought the Patriarch back to his residential house where he 
is kept under house arrest. 
On 13 February, 10 members of the Full Gospel Church who had been incarcerated for 5 
years in Assab’s notorious military prison were released on bail. The 7 men and 3 women 
had been transferred from Assab to the Adi-Abyto prison six months ago where they refused 
to sign recantation statements.  
In February 2008, 10 members of the Church of the Living God were arrested and held at 
Medefera police station, but released on bail on May 23, 2008. 
In February 2008, it is reported that Taha Mohammed Nur, the leader of some 70 Eritrean 
Muslims jailed for over two years for opposing the government installed mufti, died. He 
was believed to be in his 60s. He was one of the founders of the Eritrean Liberation front 
and formerly a close associate of President Afwerki.  
In May 2008, Police raid a private home in Adi-Kuala and arrested 25 Christians who 
gathered on Independence day to pray for the nation. The 20 men and 5 women all belong to 
the Medhane Orthodox renewal group. They are kept at Adi-Kuala. They were transferred to 
Adi- Kuala three days later (May 27), where they were subjected to harsh military 
punishment. In February 2009 it is confirmed that they had been moved to Mitire where 
they are enduring very harsh treatment.  
In May 2008, 15 members of the Kale Hiwot church held at Keren police station were 
released.  All were forced to pay 80,000 Nakfa ($5330) per person as bail. Some were 
forced to surrender property deeds as bond to secure the bail demands. By February 2009 
the deeds are still in possession of the police.  

 
 
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In the same month, police arrested 34 members of the Berhane Hiwet (Light of Life) church 
who gathered for prayer and fellowship in Keren. The arrested include 24 men and 10 
women. The following day the 10 women were taken to the Adi-Abyto Military 
Confinement facility. By February 2009, 1 woman still remains at Adi-Abyto while the men 
have been transferred to Mitire.  
On 8 June 2008, 8 Christian men held at Adi-Kuala prison were taken for Medical 
emergency attention as a result of torture by military personnel at the camp. Later on, the 
men were transferred to Mitire.  
In Mid July 2008, Azib Simon (37) dies after she is refused treatment for severe Malaria in 
Wi’a Military Training centre. She was in prison since December 2007.  Simon was the 
sister of former Eritrean television journalist Biniam Simon, who recently fled the country 
after abandoning his career at government controlled ERI-TV.   
On 8 July 2008, 6 members of the Kale-Hiwot church, 11 members of the Full Gospel 
church in Assab and 15 members of the Rhema church in Assab are arrested at their homes. 
They were taken to Wi’a military camp. Among them were 7 women. One of the women 
was taken to Adi-Abyto Military Camp and released on bail of Nakfa 50,000 ($3,400) on 
July 9. By February 2009, all but this one woman are still in Wi’a. 
On 16 July 16 2008, 9 Jehovah’s Witnesses are arrested in Asmara and held at Mai Serwa 
Military Camp. In February 2009 it is confirmed that there are 38 Jehovah’s Witnesses 
being incarcerated. All are male and the figure includes 19 elderly men. All are kept at 
Police Station number 2 in Asmara.  
On 5 August 2008, authorities locked up 8 high school students at a military training school 
in metal shipping containers for objecting to the burning of hundreds of Bibles. The 8 male 
students from the Sawa Defense Training Centre in Sawa, near Eritrea’s border with Sudan, 
were incarcerated after military authorities confiscated more than 1,500 personal Bibles 
from new students arriving for the 2008-2009 academic year. The 8 students objected when 
military officials began burning the Bibles. By February 2009, these students still find 
themselves in prison.  
In Mid-October 2008, 65 Evangelical Christians, including 14 women, are arrested.  All 
were member of unregistered churches, such as the Kale Hiwot Church, Church of the 
Living God and Faith of Christ Church (which is viewed by the government as compliant). 
The arrest occurred in 5 places, namely Adi-Teklezan Deke Zereeu, Hagaze, Anseba, 
Dekemhare and Adi-Kuala. All arrested members of the Faith of Christ church were 
released after Religious Affairs officials explained to the security officials that this church is 
viewed as being compliant.   

 
 
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In Mid November, 2008, a total of 110 Christians were arrested all over the country(65, of 
which 17 women from the Kale-Hiwot in Barentu and Dekemhare, 25 from the Full Gospel 
church in Keren, and 3 from the Full Gospel Church in Mendefera and 20 from the Church 
of the Living God in Mendefera and Adi-Kuala).  
On 27 November 2008, the campaign continued when 35 more members of the Kale-Hiwot 
Church in Dekemhare were taken. Among the arrested are 17 women and 2 elderly men in 
their eighties. The two elderly men have been moved to Mitire while the others remain at 
Dekemhare Police Station.  
On 22 December 2008, it is reported that 49 key leaders of underground churches in the 
capital Asmara (including the Church of Living God, Medhaniel Alem Revival Group and 
Philadelphia, Kale-Hiwot, Rhema, Full Gospel and Salvation by Christ churches) were 
taken over a two week period by security agents. All the leaders were taken from their 
homes and work places. Apparently their names appeared on a list of 180 persons compiled 
by government officials. In addition to the arrest of the 49 leaders, one office stationary 
store, one music shop and one printing press were sealed by the authorities in connection to 
their alleged religious activities. 
On 2 January 2009, news was received of the death of Mogos Hagos Kiflom (37) who was 
being kept in Mitire. The exact date of his death is not known. Mogos was a member of the 
Rhema church in Eritrea. Sources say he died as a result of continued physical torture by the 
Military Commanders for his refusal to deny his faith.  
On 11 January 2009, 15 male members (5 of them preachers) of the Kale Hiwot Church are 
arrested. They were taken from their homes in Keren. In addition, police in Asmara sealed 
off Semhare Printing Press and arrested its owner, Mr Tekeste Habtemichel for his alleged 
publishing of Christian materials in collaboration with underground churches. 
On 16 January 2009, Mehari Gebreneguse Asgedom (42) dies in Mitire while under solitary 
confinement. Sources say he died as a result of ongoing physical torture and diabetics 
complications. As a member of the Church of the Living God in Mendefera, it is not known 
when he was arrested or when he was moved to Mitire.  
In Mid February 2009, it is reported that there are more than 250 Muslim prisoners in 
Eritrea because of their opposition against the Eritrean Mufti. Furthermore, it is reported 

 
 
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that approximately 360 Christian believers are kept incommunicado and under severe 
conditions at Mitire Military Concentration Camp1.  
 
                                                                 
1 Open Doors news release No.307, March 18 2009. The Camp was recently established by the government in 
the northeast of the country, and known for its harsh conditions. Reportedly, Mitire Military Confinement has 
been established with the express purpose of punishing Christians who refuse to stop their religious activities 
despite the government’s ban on them in 2002. Believers from prisons all over Eritrea have been moved to 
Mitire since its establishment.