On February 16, security police released 35 evangelical Christians in the port city of Massawa, after holding them in custody for six weeks.
According to Compass Direct News, “The 35 men and women had been worshipping in a private home on January 6 when security officials raided the house and arrested those present. The group was denied visitation rights while in police custody, although official charges were never filed against them.” Compass added all the jailed believers were members of the government-banned Faith of Christ Church.
In an unrelated incident, Protestant sources inside Eritrea told Compass that 10 members of the Full Gospel Church, who had been in prison for five years, were released on bail. The seven men and three women, who had been held in Assab’s notorious military prison, had been transferred from Assab to the Adi-Aby prison six months ago.
The Voice of the Martyrs provides assistance to believers who are risking their lives in Eritrea for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. According to statistics compiled and smuggled out of Eritrea in August 2007, more than 2,000 Eritrean citizens are imprisoned and subjected to torture and forced labor because of their religious beliefs; 95 percent of these known religious-prisoners of conscience are Christians.
Pray for Christians in Eritrea as they live their lives for Christ under stringent conditions. Ask God to comfort and minister to them during these challenging times.
