Release International
PRESSURE BUILDS ON ERITREA TO FREE JAILED CHRISTIANS |
| Nov 02 2007 |
Around 1800 Christians are locked up in Eritrea - some in shipping containers without sanitation in the heat of the desert.
Many Eritrean Christians have had to leave their country because the military government is cracking down on freedom of religion.
Release International, which serves the persecuted church, sent a fact-finding team to a refugee camp in neighbouring Ethiopia. RI reported its findings to the British Ambassador and gave him a DVD of interviews with Christian refugees.
'The ambassador told us that the more Christians raise their voices about the plight of believers in Eritrea, the more pressure he will be able to bring to bear,' said RI Chief Executive Andy Dipper. 'Please join us in speaking up on their behalf.'
Release has launched a petition expressing grave concern about the restrictions on religious freedom in Eritrea, following a clampdown on Christians other than Catholic, Orthodox or Lutheran believers.
The military government has tried to force Christians to sign statements renouncing their faith in exchange for their freedom.
Release International, which serves the persecuted church in 30 nations, has also launched an appeal to help Christian refugees and their families and is supporting the church they have set up in the refugee camp.
Remember Eritrea, a DVD report featuring interviews with Eritrean refugees, can be ordered from the Release International website at www.releaseinternational.org/resources
The plight of the refugees is also featured in the latest Release International webcast: World Update on the Persecuted Church, available on the Release website and on www.premier.tv, the newly-launched web TV service by Premier Radio.
Go to all news on Eritrea