Eritrea: Ongoing Arrests of Evangelical Christians
Eritrea: Ongoing Arrests of Evangelical Christians
In mid-March, 29 evangelical Christians were arrested when Eritrean security forces raided a home prayer meeting in Asmara. According to reports, 17 women and 12 men were taken to the Mai Serwa prison camp on the outskirts of the capital city.
It is unknown what led to this attack. Since worship outside of government-recognized churches is illegal, most gatherings take place in private homes. However, each residential area is known to have government spies who report "unusual activities" to the authorities. The believers have not been formally charged and it is unknown at this point if they will be.
Over the years, Christians in Eritrea have been held indefinitely without charges, sometimes for weeks. There are also numerous cases in which people have been held for several years without charge. Closer to the Fire host Greg Musselman is joined by Dr. Berhane Asmelash to discuss the current arrests and the ongoing persecution of Eritrean followers of Jesus. Dr. Asmelash currently serves as the Director of Release Eritrea, an organization dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians in this East African nation.
Length: 41 minutes
- Country Information
Population
6,274,796 (2023 est.)Ethnicity (%)
Tigrinya (50), Tigre (30), Saho (4), Afar (4) Kunama (4), Bilen (3), other (5)Religion (%)
Islam (47.4), Christianity (48.8), other (3.8)Leader
President Isaias Afworki (1993)Government type
Presidential republicLegal system
Mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious lawSources: CIA World Factbook, Operation World
- Pray for Eritrea
Ask the Lord to provide imprisoned Eritrean believers a means of escape and a place of safe refuge. Pray for Him to also work deeply in the hearts of the country's governing officials so they will grant His people the freedom to worship Him and glorify His matchless name. Mindful of their own human frailties, may these political leaders realize the need to make Jesus their own personal Saviour and Lord by accepting His gift of eternal salvation.
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Eritrea News
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24 Christians Recently Released!
Photo: NeedPix A report has recently surfaced, indicating that 24 Eritrean believers were released from prison in early April. While most of the freed Christians had been detained for more than two years, one of them endured imprisonment for over 18 years. As is often the case, few details have been made available, and no official explanation was given for the releases.
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Police Arrest 13 Believers During Gathering
Photo: Pexels / Alejandro De Roa On Sunday, March 15th, Eritrean police arrested 13 Christians at a gathering held in an undisclosed location. The believers were then taken to a prison in the capital city of Asmara. While the identities of the arrested individuals have not been publicly released, a recently received report indicates that one of the detainees – who previously spent 15 years in prison – was freed less than a year ago. No further information regarding the arrests is currently available. In the interim, considering the longstanding patterns of persecution in Eritrea, there are concerns that these believers may be held without any formal charges or court trial.
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Over 100 Christians Released from Prison
Shipping containers in Eritrea.
Photo: VOMCMore than a hundred Christians were among groups of prisoners released from Eritrean detention centres during the months of November and December in 2025. Despite many of them having spent years in captivity under harsh and arbitrary conditions, none of the recently freed individuals had ever been formally charged with a crime.
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44 Christians Imprisoned, Including 27 Students
An Eritrean church gathering.
Photo: VOMC
In early December, Eritrean security forces raided a house where 27 secondary school students had gathered together for prayer and worship. The Christian students – most of whom ranged in age from 14 to 16 years old – were taken to a police station and held in custody for a few days before being transferred to the Mai Serwa prison which is located along the outskirts of Asmara.
