by Pat Ashworth
AN ERITREAN gospel singer, Helen Berhane, was released from prison last week. She had been jailed without trial in May 2004 after releasing a CD, and for subsequently refusing to recant her faith.
Ms Berhane belongs to the Rhema Pentecostal Church, which, with all other independent Churches, was banned by the Eritrean government in 2002. Christians are being targeted, and about 2000 are currently detained. They include the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, Abune Antonius.
Ms Berhane was reportedly held in shipping containers and underground cells in the Mai-Serwa military camp, and was admitted to hospital last month. The advocacy director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Alexa Papadouris, expressed delight at Ms Berhane’s release: “[She] appears to have suffered the most appalling mistreatment simply because of her faith.”
Amnesty International UK described what was happening in Eritea as systematic persecution on the basis of religion. Its UK media director, Mike Blakemore, highlighted the recent arrest of 160 men, women, and children, and said: “What is happening is a total violation of human rights and cannot be allowed to continue.”
Feature, page 22
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