Source: RFI

In Eritrea, seven Christian priests have been imprisoned for over 20 years without charge or trial. On the occasion of the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Religion-Based Violence, the NGO Open Doors is raising awareness about their fate. A symbol of the extreme restrictions on freedom of worship in this country sometimes nicknamed the “North Korea of ​​Africa.”

Published on:08/22/2025 – 12:312 min

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea (illustrative image).
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea (illustrative image). Maheder HAILESELASSIE TADESE / AFP

For David Haemerlin, executive director of Portes Ouvertes France, the pastors’ fate illustrates that the slightest dissent is not tolerated. “We realize that it’s the fact that they are Christian leaders that makes them sought after. The state wants to have a say in everything that is preached, everything that is done. Any dissent, whatever it may be, is persecuted ,” he reports.

Even religions officially recognized by the state are not immune to restrictions. ” In Eritrea , there are four authorized religions: three Christian and one Sunni Muslim. Some of the Orthodox priests we advocate for are actually part of an authorized community. Even these communities also have significant restrictions on their operation  .”

“They usually lock people in metal containers.”

Deprived of a trial and a lawyer, these pastors receive no visits from their families. Reverend Kidane Veld, for example, had to be taken to the clinic several times due to eye problems related to diabetes, aggravated by his ” terrible ” detention conditions, notes David Haemerlin.

“The detention conditions in Eritrea are terrible. They are particularly accustomed to locking people in metal containers, which are normally used for maritime transport. And in fact, in the Eritrean desert, where the sun is beating down, it is a real torture .” ” What we hope is that the fate of these seven pastors will be reviewed and that they can be released,” says the director of Portes Ouvertes France.

In France, the organization invites the public to connect to its website, where a letter will be available to the Eritrean embassy asking it to respect the country’s constitution – a text that proclaims freedom of religion, but which has never entered into force.

According to Human Rights Watch, Eritrea is among the countries in the world where fundamental freedoms – both political and religious – are most restricted.