{"id":52986,"date":"2025-02-18T14:22:35","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T05:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=52986"},"modified":"2025-02-25T13:32:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T04:32:47","slug":"vomk-report-336","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2025\/02\/18\/vomk-report-336\/","title":{"rendered":"ERITREA: Authorities Raid Junior High Student Worship Gathering, Send 27 Students to Jail"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”52985″ img_size=”full” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”In early December, Eritrean authorities raided a house where 27 secondary school students were gathered for prayer and worship. After being detained for several days at a police station, the students were transferred to Mai Serena prison near Asmara, which currently houses hundreds of prisoners. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley, despite their <\/span>young age<\/span>, the students have experienced the same lack of civil protections experienced by adult Christians imprisoned by Eritrean authorities for similar activities. \u201cSecondary school students in Eritrea are under the age of 17, but like adult Christians, these 27 children have been sent to <\/span>a <\/span>prison <\/span>housing long-term prisoners,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cAll this has happened <\/span>without <\/span>them being given <\/span>a trial and <\/span>without them <\/span>even being <\/span>formally <\/span>charged <\/span>with any <\/span>crime,\u201d says Representative Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that Eritrean authorities crack down heavily on students engaging in Christian activities because of how well-trained even young students are in spreading the faith.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Eritrean church, <\/span>teenagers <\/span>don\u2019t just attend activities organized by <\/span>adults; they themselves <\/span>organize many activities, because they <\/span>are highly effective evangelists and disciple makers,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen the Eritrean government put most <\/span>pastors in prison in the early 2000\u2019s, women and children were the ones who had to keep the church alive. <\/span>The pastors had trained them well, and in fact the pastors <\/span>still continue<\/span> to pray for them even while they are <\/span>in <\/span>prison. The women and children have done <\/span>a <\/span>great job<\/span> carrying on the work of the church<\/span>\u2014but <\/span>they\u2019ve<\/span> also had to pay the same price as the pastors: being sent to jail when their Christian activities are discovered by authorities.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”52978″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley notes that <\/span>in a separate case, <\/span>17 women <\/span>were also recently arrested for Christian activity and sent to <\/span>Mai Serwa prison<\/span>, a facility known for harsh treatment of inmates.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]On <\/span>May 22<\/span>, 2002<\/span>, <\/span>Eritrean <\/span>authorities ordered the closure of all <\/span>non-Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran <\/span>churches<\/span>. Representative Foley says that s<\/span>ince then, Christians from banned <\/span>churches\u00a0 have<\/span> been arrested and imprisoned without being formally charged or tried. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Contact with family members or attorneys is impossible. Sentences are open-ended. <\/span>That\u2019s<\/span> why Eritrea is rightfully called the \u2018North Korea of Africa\u2019 and is continually ranked as one of the worst persecutors of Christians in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that her organization is working with its contacts in the region to gather the names and prison addresses of the latest <\/span>prisoners<\/span>. But she urges Christians to set aside time this week to write letters of encouragement to the Eritrean <\/span>Christians who have been in prison for as many as 20 years, <\/span>whose prison addresses who are already known and <\/span>posted on the Voice of the Martyrs Korea website<\/span> at <\/span><\/span>https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/prisoner-profiles\/<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> .<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are five Eritrean <\/span>Christians <\/span>currently listed on our website to whom letters can be <\/span>sent <\/span>right away: <\/span>Mussie Ezaz, a prisoner for Christ since 2007; Kidane <\/span>Weldou<\/span>, a prisoner for Christ since 2005; and Haile <\/span>Nayzgi<\/span>, Dr. <\/span>Kiflu<\/span> Gebremeskel, and Meron <\/span>Gebreselasie<\/span>, all prisoners for Christ since 2004.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”52977″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”(From file) Shipping containers in a desert in Eritrea. Prisoners like Pastor Haile Nayzgi and Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel are often imprisoned in such containers for more than a decade. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that even in cases where prison officials refuse to deliver the letters to the prisoners, the letters still make a difference<\/span>\u2014even for the other Christians in prison who receive no letters<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>When a surge of letters arrives for <\/span>one Christian <\/span>prisoner, it shows the prison guards that <\/span>Christians around <\/span>the world <\/span>are <\/span>watching<\/span> closely how the Eritrean government is treating Christian prisoners<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>T<\/span>he Lord sometimes uses letter writing campaigns to keep the <\/span>Christian <\/span>prisoners safe.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]She calls the survival of the imprisoned Eritrean Christians a \u201cdaily miracle<\/span>\u201d.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of the Christians are locked in shipping containers in the middle of the desert,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cThe shipping containers become super-heated during the day and frigid during the night. Although each shipping container is small, twenty to thirty prisoners are sometimes crammed into one container. There is only one bucket in the corner for human waste, and prisoners are only allowed outside twice per day.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley reports that prisoners are regularly tortured.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201cPrisoners are tortured so brutally and for such a long time that they are released with permanent disabilities like paralysis,\u201d Representative Foley explains. \u201cSome die from torture wounds; others are casually executed.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”52972″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”VOM Korea\u2019s website lists the names and addresses of 5 Eritrean Christian prisoners to whom letters can be sent. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]She says despite this, the Eritrean church continues to prosper.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Eritrean Christians are inspired by the faithful witness of the pastors in prison. The pastors could be released <\/span>from prison by signing a document saying <\/span>they\u2019ll<\/span> stop evangelizing and <\/span>stop <\/span>attending unregistered churches. However, <\/span>the pastors refuse to sign and instead they stay in prison and pray for the women and children to carry on the work of the church,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>Representative Foley <\/span>explains. \u201c<\/span>We believe the women and children sent to prison this month for carrying on the work of the church will also stay strong in their faith in prison, because of the example the pastors have set for them, and the prayers the pastors are praying for them.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Voice of the Martyrs Korea administers a fund to provide ongoing support to families of Eritrean martyrs and Christian prisoners. Churches and individuals interested in making a donation to VOMK\u2019s Eritrea Fund can do so at www.vomkorea.com\/en\/donate<\/a><\/span> (select \u201cEritrea\u201d from the donation option menu) or via electronic transfer to:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span> 463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span>: (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the phrase \u201cEritrea\u201d on the transfer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”52985″ img_size=”full” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”In early December, Eritrean authorities raided a house where 27 secondary school students were gathered for prayer and worship. After being detained for several days at …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":52984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52986"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53051,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52986\/revisions\/53051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}