THE TANDEM PROJECT
UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS,
FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF
Separation of Religion or Belief
& State
Sixth Session U.N. Human
Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (30 Nov. –
Available in other languages: click here if the language box does not display.
The Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) is a unique process launched by the UN Human Rights Council in
2008 to review the human rights obligations and responsibilities of all UN
Member States by 2011. Click for an Introduction to the Universal Periodic
Review, Process and News: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx
UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW
The Eritrea
Universal Periodic Review will be held by the UN Human Rights
Council on
Link: HRC Web Cast will be available on 30 November December, 2009.
The primary international
human rights instruments on freedom of religion or belief are:
Article 18 International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights; and the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of
all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
General Comment 22 on
Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9a30112c27d1167cc12563ed004d8f15?Opendocument
1981 UN Declaration on
the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief: http://www.tandemproject.com/program/81_dec.htm
The 1981 UN Declaration
is unique; it may be a one of a kind Human Rights Concordat between nations and all religions or beliefs.
THE TANDEM PROJECT FOLLOW-UP
The Tandem Project Follow-up builds on 1986 Community
Strategies, 27 action proposals written by local organizations to
implement Article 18 of the ICCPR and the 1981 UN Declaration on Freedom of
Religion or Belief:
http://www.tandemproject.com/tolerance.pdf
.
The Survey is generic for all local areas in the
There are three proposals
on integration, dialogue and education that are generic for an exchange of
information worldwide:
1. Develop model integrated approaches to
International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief at
national and local levels to test the reality of implementation as appropriate
to the constitutions, legal systems and cultures of each country. *
2. Use International Human Rights Standards
on Freedom of Religion or Belief as appropriate to each culture and venue for
inclusive and genuine dialogue on freedom of religion or belief.
3. Apply International Human Rights
Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief in education curricula as
appropriate in all grade levels, teaching children, from the very beginning,
that their own religion is one out of many and it is a personal choice for
everyone to adhere to the religion or belief by which he or she feels most
inspired, or to adhere to no religion or belief at all.
* Example: Universal Periodic
Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief
The UN Human Rights
Council has failed to achieve consensus between world views on human rights and freedom of religion
or belief. The complexity and sensitivity of these issues caused the UN to
defer debate in 1968. It is time for
the Human Rights Council to adopt a new focal point as a world paradigm for
debate, an Open-ended Working Group for a UN Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief and
strengthen the Special Procedures mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Religion or Belief.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To be written after
Eritrea UPR
EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
The Tandem Project Follow-up is seeking an exchange of information
for the Eritrea Universal Periodic Review on approaches to freedom of religion
or belief, to bridge human rights proclaimed in
treaties at the international level with the reality of implementation at a
national and local level.
Stakeholder Letters: Submitted for the
Link to these letters
will be available after
The Government officially recognizes only four religious
groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Islam,
and the Roman Catholic Church. Although reliable statistics are not available,
it is estimated that 50 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim, 30 percent
is Orthodox Christian, and 13 percent is Roman Catholic. Groups that constitute
less than 5 percent of the population include Protestants, Seventh-day
Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhists, Hindus, and Baha'is. Approximately
2 percent of the population practice traditional indigenous religions. The
population in the eastern and western lowlands is predominantly Muslim and
predominantly Christian in the highlands. Religious participation is high among
all ethnic groups. The Tandem Project will focus on an exchange of information
with the officially recognized religious groups. Religions representing less
than 5 percent of the population will be asked if they intend to follow-up on freedom of religion or belief after the Eritrea
Universal Periodic Review. (See NMTE and Christian Solidarity Network CSW
below).
Eritrea Muslims: Sunni Islam is practiced in Eritrea.
http://www.lutheranworld.org/Directory/AFR/EvLuthCchEritrea-EN.html
The Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Eritrea is a member of one of the four recognized religions by the
Eritrean government, the other three being the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Islam
and Roman Catholic Church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea
headquarters is in
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm
The State Department
Office of International Religious Freedom mission is to promote religious
freedom as a core objective of
Lutheran World Federation; http://www.lutheranworld.org
The Lutheran World
Federation (LWF) is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition with international headquarters in
Islamic Council of
The Islamic Council of
Norway is an umbrella group of Islamic organizations and mosques in
The State Church of
Norway has represented the main, almost the only, expression of religious
belief in
The
http://www.oslocenter.no/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=214&Itemid=1
The
Norwegian
Norwegian Mission to the
East (NMTE) is a Christian missions and human rights organization, with a
special focus on freedom of belief and religion as expressed in Article 18 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. NMTE provide support, care and
practical help for churches and individuals who are persecuted or oppressed
because of their religious beliefs.
The organization also
advocates on behalf of Christians and others who have had their religious
rights violated. NMTE is based in
The Eritrean-Ethiopian
War took place from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean%E2%80%93Ethiopian_War
FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF
The Constitution,
ratified by the National Assembly in 1997, provides for religious freedom;
however, the Government has yet to implement the Constitution. Following a 2002
government decree that religious groups must register, the Government closed
all religious facilities not belonging to the country's four principal
religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Evangelical (Lutheran)
Church of Eritrea, Islam, and the Roman Catholic Church.
The Government
severely restricts freedom of religion for groups that it has not registered
and infringes upon the independence of some registered groups. During the
reporting period, the Government's record on religious freedom remained poor.
The Government continued to harass, arrest, and detain members of unregistered
minority religious groups and sought greater control over the four approved
religious groups.
The Government failed
to register religious groups, and it restricted religious meetings and arrested
individuals during religious gatherings. There were reports of forced
recantations of faith and torture of religious detainees, who were held in
harsh conditions.
Citizens generally
were tolerant of one another in the practice of their religion, with the
exception of societal attitudes toward Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostal
groups. Some individuals viewed failure to perform military service as a sign
of disloyalty and encouraged harassment of religious groups, such as Jehovah's
Witnesses, whose faith precludes military service. Individuals have been known
to report the activities of these religious groups to the Government.
The U.S. Government
was unable to obtain meetings during the reporting period to discuss religious
freedom with the Government. The Government routinely dismissed U.S. government
concerns, citing the absence of conflict between Christians and Muslims within
the country and its concerns about alleged disruptive practices of some
religious groups that it feared would upset the country's "social
harmony." In November 2006 the U.S. Secretary of State redesignated the
country a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious
Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
1. Eritrea – Religious Demography
The country has an
area of 48,489 square miles and a population of 3.6 million. Although reliable
statistics are not available, it is estimated that 50 percent of the population
is Sunni Muslim, 30 percent is Orthodox Christian, and 13 percent is Roman
Catholic. Groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include
Protestants, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhists, Hindus,
and Baha'is. Approximately 2 percent of the population practice traditional
indigenous religions. The population in the eastern and western lowlands is
predominantly Muslim and predominantly Christian in the highlands. Religious
participation is high among all ethnic groups.
2. Eritrea – Legal/Policy Framework
The Government
officially recognizes only four religious groups: the Eritrean Orthodox Church,
the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Islam, and the Roman Catholic Church. Other
religious groups must register with, and be approved by, the Government before
they are permitted to conduct religious services or other activities.
Registration requirements include a description of the history of the religious
group in the country, an explanation of the uniqueness or benefit that the
group offers compared with other religious groups already present, names and
personal information of religious leaders, detailed information on assets and
property owned by the group, and sources of funding from abroad. A government
committee reviews the applications, which in theory are to be approved only if
they conform to local culture.
The Government
recognizes Christmas, Epiphany, Eid al-Adha , Good Friday, Easter, the Birth of
the Prophet Muhammad, New Year, Meskel, and Eid al-Fitr as national holidays.
The law does not provide
for conscientious objection to military service, which is a problem for
Jehovah's Witnesses. A presidential decree declared that Jehovah's Witnesses
had "forsaken their nationality" because they refuse to vote or
perform required military service. This decree resulted in economic,
employment, and travel difficulties for many members of the group, especially
civil servants and merchants.
Any religious
organization that seeks facilities for worship other than private homes must
obtain government approval to build such facilities.
3. Eritrea - Restrictions
on Religious Freedom
The Government
severely restricts freedom of religion for groups that it has not registered
and infringes upon the independence of some registered groups. During the
reporting period, the Government's record on religious freedom remained poor.
The Government
forbids what it deems to be radical forms of Islam and severely restricts
numerous small Protestant churches, Baha'is, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Following the 2002
government decree that all religious groups must register or cease all
religious activities, religious facilities not belonging to the four officially
recognized religious groups were forced to close. In the past, authorities in
the Office of Religious Affairs told religious groups that home prayer meetings
would be permitted, although the Government did not fully respect this
guidance. Treatment of unregistered religious groups often varied by locale.
Reports indicated that the Government continued to disrupt home-based worship,
arresting individuals hosting home prayer meetings. Some local authorities
allowed unregistered groups to worship in homes or rented spaces, whereas
others did not allow them to meet at all. Religious groups were informed that a
standing law would be used to prevent unregistered religious groups from
holding political or other gatherings in private homes of more than three to
five persons. In practice, authorities enforced this law.
The Government
approved no registrations during the period covered by this report. In 2002,
Meherte Yesus Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Seventh-day Adventist
Church, the Faith Mission Church, and the Baha'i Faith fully complied with
registration requirements; however, by the end of the reporting period, they
were not approved by the Government.
Foreign missionaries
operate with some restrictions. Missionaries and representatives of the
restricted unregistered religious groups were present but kept an extremely low
profile for fear of abuse of their congregations.
Faith-based
organizations experienced the same difficulties in initiating and implementing
development projects as did other non profit organizations. During the
reporting period, some foreign missionaries were not allowed to renew their
visas to work on social programs. Several religious groups executed small-scale
development projects without government interference. A government proclamation
also set out rules governing relations between religious organizations and
foreign sponsors.
All religious
entities must receive authorization from the Office of Religious Affairs to
print and distribute documents. The Office of Religious Affairs routinely
approved requests from approved religious organizations; however, unregistered
churches occasionally were unable to obtain authorization to print documents
for distribution within their congregations.
The Government bans
religious organizations from involvement in politics and restricts the right of
religious media to comment on political matters.
The government-controlled
media continued to characterize evangelical religions as being imperialistic
entities, promoting religious intolerance among its citizens.
The military has no
chaplains. Military personnel were free to worship at nearby houses of worship
of the four approved official religious groups. Military members reportedly
were sometimes allowed to possess certain religious books to pray privately
although not in groups. This rule continued to be inconsistently enforced.
Several members of unregistered religious groups reportedly were detained for
violating this rule in the summer of 2006, and there were reports that while
Muslims were able to have the Qur'an, Bibles were confiscated from Christian
members of the military.
The Government did not
excuse individuals who objected to military conscription for religious reasons
or reasons of conscience, nor did it provide for alternative national service.
Some Muslims objected to universal national service because of the requirement
that Muslim women must perform military duty.
The Government
requested that the four approved religious groups provide an accounting of
their financial sources, as well as lists of personnel and real property, and
the religious groups reportedly complied. There were reports of the Government
seizing religious property during the reporting period. The Government remained
in control of donations made to the Orthodox Church.
The Government
continued its involvement in the affairs of the four approved religious groups
and required them to provide a list of religious leaders and clergy so they can
be enrolled in military/national service. At the end of the reporting period,
the Muslim, Orthodox, and Lutheran faiths turned in the requested lists and
were given identification cards for a percentage of their religious officials,
delaying their entry into military/national service. The remainder of their
religious officials were taken into service. The Government provided the
Catholic Church with limited duration national exemption cards for all
religious workers and seminarians.
Authorities regularly
harassed, arrested, and detained members of minority religious groups. The
Government closely monitored the activities and movements of unregistered
religious groups and members, including nonreligious social functions attended
by members. Individuals arrested were often detained for extended periods of
time without due process. On occasion, charges were levied; however, generally
individuals were held without charges.
During the reporting
period, there were reliable reports that authorities detained at least 125
members of unregistered religious groups without charges. Some were released
after detentions of several days or less, while others spent longer periods in
confinement without charge and without access to legal counsel. Government
restrictions made it difficult to determine the precise number of religious
prisoners at any one time, and releases sometimes went unreported; however, the
number of long-term prisoners continued to grow. At the end of the reporting
period, NGO reports indicated there were more than 3,225 Christians from
unregistered groups detained in prison. These reports included 37 leaders and
pastors of Pentecostal churches in detention, some for more than 3 years
without due process.
Of the 450
individuals detained during the previous reporting period, more than 300
remained incarcerated. Many of them were held in military prisons for not
having performed required national military service, but most belonged to unregistered
religious groups. Several pastors and dozens of women were among the
imprisoned. Many refused to recant their faith and continued to be detained in
civilian and military detention facilities across the country. Several were
released after recanting their faith.
Reports circulated in
late May 2008 of the Government planning to place three prominent pastors on
trial for treason. The three pastors had been imprisoned since 2004; one of the
pastors had a health condition requiring periodic hospitalization. No further
information concerning the possible trial was available.
In May 2008 police
reportedly arrested 34 evangelical Christians in Keren during a house raid.
This number included 10 women, one of whom was reportedly pregnant. Of the 10
women, all but 4 were released soon after. All remaining prisoners were
reportedly transferred to the Adi Abeto military prison.
In May 2008 the
Government arrested 25 Protestant Christians in Asmara who were later
incarcerated at the military camp in Wi'a.
In February 2008
there were reports of police arresting 38 members of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Ten of these were released soon after; however, the remaining 28 were reported
in custody at the end of the reporting period.
In February 2008
authorities released 35 Christians in Massawa after imprisoning them for 6
weeks.
In February 2008
officials released 10 Christians on bail. They had been imprisoned for 5 years.
As of February 2008
the pastor of Kale Hiwot Church remained in prison after his arrest in October
2007; it was his third arrest in 5 years.
On Christmas Eve 2007
Eritrean officials reportedly imprisoned 35 men, women, and children belonging
to the non-approved Faith Missions Church, eventually sending the prisoners to
the Wi'a Military Camp.
In October 2007
during an approved Bible study class at the Orthodox Church, the Government
arrested a priest along with a coordinator of the Bible study class. The
coordinator was released after 75 days, while the priest's whereabouts remained
unknown at the end of the reporting period.
In October 2007
authorities arrested 45 members of a non registered, non approved Christian
church and beat the church leader severely.
In October 2007 a
prominent evangelical singer was granted asylum in Denmark. During the previous
reporting period, the Government released the woman for medical treatment for
injuries sustained from severe beatings during 2 years in harsh detention
conditions. She remains in a wheelchair as a result of her treatment in prison.
In July 2007 police
invaded a home-based church service and arrested five individuals.
In late May and early
June 2007 authorities arrested a Kale Hiwot Church pastor and 20 members of his
congregation in Dekemhare region.
In April 2007 nearly
80 members of an unregistered religious group were arrested in Asmara while
attending a worship service despite having received authorization from the
Office of Religious Affairs to hold the service. All were reportedly released a
month later.
In February 2007
police arrested ten members of an unregistered church at a party following a
wedding. These members were later released on a bail of $10,000 (150,000 Nakfa)
after committing not to practice their religion.
In January 2007
police arrested eight members of the Medhane Alem congregation of the Orthodox
Christian Church. They were employees of various government ministries and
arrested while at work. They were reportedly interrogated by police and asked
to name other members of the congregation.
Ten members of an
unregistered church were released in 2008. They were part of a group of 25 whom
police arrested in Assab in the previous reporting period and who had been
detained at the Wi'a Military Camp.
In January 2007 the
pastor of an unregistered church was arrested in Asmara. He remained in
detention at the end of the reporting period.
During November 2006
the Government orchestrated a large-scale campaign to arrest members of
unregistered religious groups in Mendefera region, in the heart of the
predominantly Christian central highlands. Initial reports claimed that the
Government arrested more than 150 Protestants from the Church of Living God,
Kaile Hiwot, and other churches.
During October 2006
the Government incarcerated two members of an unregistered church.
In August 2006 police
arrested 29 members of unregistered churches during raids on home prayer
meetings in Asmara, Keren, and Massawa.
In 2006 there were
reports that authorities detained three members of an unregistered church in
Nefasit. One church member was released on bail.
In January 2006 a
member of an unregistered church was arrested and detained in Asmara. Several
weeks later his wife was also detained in a separate facility. Both reportedly
were still being held as of 2007.
Over the Christmas 2005
holiday, 78 individuals were detained after raids on businesses owned by
evangelical Christians, Pentecostals, and other members of unregistered
churches. Two individuals were released after paying a bail of $10,000 (150,000
Nakfa) and signing pledges not to practice their faith. During the raid,
several church members managed to escape and depart the country or go into
hiding. Authorities threatened their family members who remained in the country
with arrest and detention if they did not turn in those who had escaped or gone
into hiding. More than 50 of those detained remained in custody.
During September 2005
there were reports of the arrest of more than 200 evangelical Christians and
members of unregistered churches, including 20 members of the Hallelujah and
Philadelphia churches, for organizing a wedding party in Asmara. While the
members of the Hallelujah and Philadelphia churches were reportedly released
one month later, more than 75 were subjected to further detention and were
being held at Sawa.
In August 2005 police
arrested a bridal couple and 18 wedding guests from an unregistered church
during the private wedding ceremony in the bride's home. The bridal couple was
released on bail and the 18 guests remained in detention.
There were reports
that 180 Muslims who opposed the Mufti appointed by the Government more than 15
years ago continued to be detained as they refused to honor his presence. This
situation has been unchanged for 15 years.
The Government
reportedly held individuals who were jailed for their religious affiliation at
various locations, including facilities administered by the military, such as
at Mai Serwa outside the capital and the more distant Sawa and Gelalo, as well
as police stations in the capital and other cities. Often, detainees were not
formally charged, accorded due process, or allowed access to their families.
While many were ostensibly jailed for evasion of military conscription,
significant numbers were being held solely for their religious beliefs, and
some were held in harsh conditions, such as in shipping containers or
underground, that included extreme temperature fluctuations.
There were reports of
torture and death while in official custody. Many detainees were required to
recant their religious beliefs as a precondition of release.
In February 2008 a
prominent Muslim leader was reported to have died in prison after being held by
officials for 2 years for opposing the Mufti installed by the Government.
Authorities released
two women Jehovah's Witnesses from the Mai Serwa Prison in December 2007 due to
their deteriorating health. A third Jehovah's Witness was also released in
October 2007 because of his deteriorating health.
In September 2007 a
33-year old woman, arrested at a church service of an unregistered denomination
and imprisoned for 18 months, died in the Wi'a Military Training Center
reportedly after being tortured by officials for refusing to recant her faith.
In February 2007
there were credible reports another member of an unregistered religious group
died at the Adi Nefase Military Confinement facility near Assab after enduring
torture and illness.
In October 2006 there
were credible reports that two members of an unregistered church died from
injuries in a military camp in Adi Quala after being severely beaten and
tortured.
In October 2006
police arrested 12 members of an unregistered church at a private home in
Asmara. Two of the individuals reportedly died shortly after the arrests after
being tortured and severely beaten.
There were credible
reports that some detainees were required to sign statements as a condition of
release renouncing or agreeing not to practice their faith or, in a small
number of cases, to "return to the faith of their fathers," which
some detainees understood to mean becoming a member of the Orthodox Church. In
some cases in which detainees refused to sign such documents, relatives were
asked to convince them to do so. In some cases authorities demanded letters
from priests of the Orthodox Church confirming that the individuals returned to
the Orthodox Church.
Students at military
and private boarding schools were also subjected to governmental abuses of
religious freedom. In 2006 at the Sawa Military School, school authorities
conducted a check on the student conscripts and seized more than 100 Bibles.
Seventy-five Christians were detained and punished for reading the Bible. After
burning the Bibles, authorities subjected the students to severe punishment.
They refused to recant at least three times and continued to be held at Sawa.
In August 2006 some
evangelical Christian students enrolled at the Mai Nefhi boarding school were
released from detention, but only after they signed documents recanting their faith.
The released students were prevented from registering for school. The other
students remain incarcerated, after being arrested and subjected to severe
punishment since May 2006 by authorities, ostensibly for refusing to
participate in events surrounding Liberation Day.
In conducting
searches for national military service evaders, security forces targeted
gatherings of unregistered religious groups at a greater frequency than those
of other social and religious organizations.
Although members of
several religious groups, including Muslims, reportedly were imprisoned in past
years for failure to participate in national military service, the Government
singled out Jehovah's Witnesses for harsher treatment than that received by
followers of other faiths for similar actions. Jehovah's Witnesses who did not
participate in national military service were subject to dismissal from the
civil service, revocation of their business licenses, eviction from
government-owned housing, and denial of passports, identity cards, and exit
visas. They were also prohibited from having their marriages legalized by the
civil authorities.
In early 2008
authorities fired a teacher of the Jehovah's Witness faith for refusing to
perform military service.
Jehovah's Witnesses
were jailed in harsh conditions for lengthy periods; at least three individuals
were detained for more than 12 years, reportedly for evading compulsory
military service. However, the maximum legal penalty for refusing to perform
national service is 2 years. In the past, Ministry of Justice officials have
denied that any Jehovah's Witnesses were in detention without charge, although
they acknowledged that some of them, and a number of Muslims, were jailed for
evading national service.
According to credible
sources, 25 Jehovah's Witnesses remained in detention without charges or trial
during the reporting period. Authorities detained 13 at Sawa, 8 for allegedly
failing to perform national military service. Authorities detained those above
the cut-off age for national service eligibility (54 for men and 47 for women)
for attending religious meetings, preaching, or visiting families of escapees.
The Government
deported foreign religious workers or forced their departure by refusing to
renew residency documents.
In November 2007 the
Government expelled 13 foreign missionaries from Colombia, Mexico, the
Philippines, Italy, and Kenya in "unclear circumstances." Officials
claimed it was an immigration matter, because the missionaries' visas had
expired, yet the Government refused to renew their documents.
In September 2006 the
Government ordered the departure of a foreigner who was an active member in the
Evangelical Episcopalian Church and in the small school run by the Church.
In spring 2006 the
BBC reported that a British missionary was detained for several days, and
subsequently expelled, for distributing Bibles. In February 2006 a canon of the
Evangelical Episcopalian Church, on a temporary visit from the United Kingdom,
was ordered to leave.
In October 2005 the
Government ordered the long-time pastor of the Evangelical Episcopalian Church
to depart the country.
The Government
continued to maintain a high degree of control over the operations of the
Eritrean Orthodox Church, highlighting concerns regarding the independence and
freedom of religious practice permitted within the Church by the Government. In
August 2005, the Government appointed a lay administrator to manage and oversee
church operations, in contravention of the Eritrean Orthodox Church
constitution. Shortly after this appointment, the Holy Synod voted to remove
church Patriarch Abune Antonios on putative charges that he had committed
heresy and was no longer following church doctrine. A new patriarch, Abune
Dioscoros, was selected by the synod. The deposed patriarch continued to be
able to serve as a priest; however, he was forbidden to conduct church
services. In January 2006, the deposed patriarch objected to his removal
through a letter sent, and made public, to the Holy Synod. In the letter he
denied the charges against him and excommunicated several synod members, as
well as the lay administrator, stating that their actions, and those of the
Government, violated the Constitution and bylaws of the Eritrean Orthodox
Church.
Abune Antonios
remained essentially under house arrest and was not seen. He suffered from
health problems and was permitted limited visitors and no medical treatment. In
January 2007 there were credible reports that government officials raided his
home and removed all of his patriarchal vestments and personal religious items.
In June 2008 the
Eritrean military expropriated property of the Catholic Church in the city's
capital. The Government reportedly warned the Church in advance and expelled
church employees when they failed to comply.
In January 2008
authorities reportedly relocated Patriarch Antonios to an undisclosed location
in order to prevent him meeting with a visiting foreign official. Authorities
allegedly returned Antonios to his home after the visitor departed.
There were reports
that police forced some adherents of unregistered religious groups held in
detention to sign statements to abandon their faith and join the Orthodox
Christian Church as a precondition of their release. These individuals
typically faced imprisonment and/or severe beating until they agreed to sign
the document. Reports indicated that these individuals were also monitored
after they signed to make sure that they did not practice or proselytize for
their unregistered religion.
There were no reports
of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or
illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such
citizens to be returned to the United States.
4. Eritrea – Societal
Abuse and Discrimination
Citizens generally
were tolerant of one another in the practice of their religion, particularly
among the four official religious groups. Mosques and Christian churches
coexisted throughout the country, although Islam tended to predominate in the
lowlands and Christianity in the highlands. In Asmara, Christian and Muslim
holidays were respected by all religions. Some holidays were celebrated
jointly.
Jehovah's Witnesses
generally faced some societal discrimination because of their refusal to
participate in the 1993 independence referendum and to perform national
military service, a position that was widely judged as unpatriotic. There was
also some prejudice against other unregistered religious groups. Some persons
reportedly cooperated with government authorities by reporting on, and
harassing, members of those groups.
Religious leaders
were unable to publicly advocate for freedom of religion for fear of being
arrested.
5. Eritrea – U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Government
makes regular efforts to discuss religious freedom with the Government. Despite
repeated attempts, U.S. embassy officials were not permitted by the Government
to meet with religious leaders or government authorities responsible for
religious affairs.
The U.S. Ambassador
and other embassy officers raised the cases of detention and restrictions on
unregistered religious groups in prior reporting periods with officials in the
President's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the leaders of the
sole legal political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice.
In September 2004 the
U.S. Secretary of State designated Eritrea as a "Country of Particular
Concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act for
particularly severe violations of religious freedom. The following year the
Secretary applied sanctions under the Arms Export Control Act to prohibit the
commercial sale of certain defense articles and services. The country remained
a CPC as of the end of the reporting period.
Source:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108367.htm
Links to State Department
sites are welcomed. Unless a copyright is indicated, information on the State
Department’s main website is in the public domain and may be copied and
distributed without permission. Citation of the U.S. State Department as source
of the information is appreciated.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Documents Attached:
Eritrea - Universal Periodic Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief
Norway - Christians & Muslims Sign Declaration on Religious Freedom
UN - Right to Change Religion or Belief Adopted Without Consensus
The Tandem Project is a non-governmental organization (NGO)
founded in 1986 to build understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity, and
to prevent discrimination in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief.
The Tandem Project has sponsored multiple conferences, curricula, reference
materials and programs on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights – Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion - and 1981 United Nations Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or
Belief.
The Tandem Project is a UN NGO in
Special Consultative Status with the
Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations