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World News

Protest marks 14 years since Eritrea church closures

by Aaron James

The vigil on Thursday is in memory of May 2002, when Eritrean authorities shut down every denomination except the Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran churches.

The closures led to thousands of arrests, with anti-persecution charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide saying around 3000 believers were imprisoned for their faith at one time.

Churches outside the three aforementioned denominations remain closed in Eritrea and hundreds of Christians remain imprisoned there.

One of the most high-profile detainees is Abune Antonios (below), the legitimate patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church who in 2007 was put under house arrest and illegally replaced by Bishop Dioscoros, a clergyman approved by the Eritrean government but unrecognised by the Orthodox papacy.

Orthodox Cognate

Father Shenouda, of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, said: "Fourteen years is too long, but we entrust our brothers and sisters to the Lord."

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: "We will continue to protest and stand in solidarity with the Eritrean people until the dividends of freedom and the rights guaranteed in the constitution, including the right to freedom of religion and belief, are fully realised.

"The 14 years of ongoing repression that has followed the crackdown on churches is indeed too long; but we will continue to pray in hope that one day change will come and prisoners of conscience of all faiths and none will be set free."

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