An Eritrean Christian woman has died after nearly three years in prison. Local Open Doors partners in the Horn of Africa report that she was held in one of Eritrea’s notorious military prisons. The country ranks fifth on the World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. Thousands of people are imprisoned in Eritrea under inhumane conditions, including hundreds of Christians.
The exact circumstances surrounding the Eritrean Christian woman’s arrest and death remain unknown. She was buried late September. However, it is clear that over the past two decades, hundreds – and probably thousands – of Christians have been arrested and detained without trial. Their Christian faith and affiliation with churches not recognised by the government are the reasons for their imprisonment.
Inhuman conditions
The United Nations and various human rights organisations have long accused the Eritrean government of gross human rights violations. The Eritrean authorities are alleged to have forcibly disappeared and tortured many thousands of people. These prisoners are held in inhumane conditions, including inside shipping containers. Conditions in these containers are particularly appalling: temperatures become unbearably hot during the day and bitterly cold at night.
Many detainees suffer from health problems, especially those who have been imprisoned for extended periods. Their detention can also lead to further medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, in addition to the psychological trauma they experience. Prisoners are often released and returned to their families shortly before death, reportedly to prevent them from dying in custody.
Imprisoned church leaders
Accounts from former prisoners shed light on the Eritrean government’s brutal policies. Those who have been released have reported that torture and deliberate starvation are used against detainees. For Christian prisoners, these methods are intended to compel them to abandon their faith.
In 2025, Open Doors joined forces with other organisations to campaign for the release of seven Eritrean Christian church leaders who have been imprisoned for more than twenty years without ever being formally charged or brought before a court. Pastor Haile Naizge, Dr Kuflu Gebremeskel, Pastor Million Gebreselassie, Dr Futsum Gebrenegus, Pastor and Dr Tekleab Menghisteab, Pastor Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis and Pastor Kidane Weldou have been held for more than two decades without a fair trial.
“Their case is a stark illustration of the suffering of thousands of prisoners of conscience currently detained in Eritrea without charge or trial.”
Open Doors continues to call for the immediate release of these prisoners.“None of these seven church leaders has been charged or brought before a court. To date, they have had no legal representation or opportunity to defend themselves. Their families are not allowed to visit them,” explains Tiffany Barrens, who advocates on behalf of Christians facing persecution, including those in prison, for Open Doors.
All seven church leaders are reportedly being held incommunicado at the high-security Wengel Mermera Criminal Investigation Centre. “Their plight is a striking example of the suffering endured by thousands of prisoners of conscience who are currently being held in Eritrea without charge or trial. We call for their immediate release,” Barrens says.
Since the church leaders were detained, several of their relatives have died, while others have been forced to flee Eritrea. In 2021, Pastor Araya Girmay was imprisoned because of his faith and without a trial. He died behind bars in May 2024 at the age of 83. His son, Samuel Girmay, has been held captive in a shipping container for years.
Threats from the government and community
The government refuses to recognise any religious groups other than the Eritrean Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches, and Sunni Islam. Christians who belong to unrecognised churches face serious difficulties in accessing services provided by the state, particularly social services.
Eritrean Christians are viewed as unpatriotic, and their activities are considered a threat to national security. Every aspect of life in Eritrea is subject to government control, and security forces regularly raid house church gatherings.
Young people are often sent to military training camps, where they are taught values that directly contradict the Christian faith. Christian men are forced into indefinite military service, where they face forced labour and torture. Hundreds of Christian women are being held in detention centres, where they endure severe sexual violence.
Christian converts from a Muslim background, as well as Christians who leave their Orthodox Christian tradition, face violations of their rights at the hands of their families and communities. Intense pressure and threats force some Christians to flee the country, but doing so is also a dangerous undertaking.
Open Doors continues to closely monitor the situation of prisoners in Eritrea, including the seven church leaders, and remains committed to advocating for their release.
Eritrea ranks fifth on the World Watch List.
Please pray
- Pray for comfort for the family of the Christian woman who has died.
- Pray for prisoners who have been detained for decades under appalling conditions, and with no prospect of freedom. Pray that this situation may change.
- Pray for the families of prisoners, who also endure great hardship and live in uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones.
