Followers of Jesus face indefinite imprisonment, conscription, and abuse.
bottom“We live in fear of who will be arrested next. But we must continue to walk with God. We build upon what others have done before us.”
– Paulos*
*Name changed for security purposes
Eritrea is one of the world’s most difficult places to be a follower of Jesus. The government recognises only four religious groups and excludes most Evangelical and Pentecostal groups, treating them as illegal. Christians who worship outside state-sanctioned churches face intense surveillance, violent police raids, and indefinite imprisonment, often in horrendous conditions. Converts from Islam or the Eritrean Orthodox Church also risk rejection by their families and social exclusion in addition to state persecution.
The militarised nature of society compounds repression. Those forcibly drafted into the military face an indefinite period of service. There is no leniency for anyone unwilling to serve, and Christians in the military caught worshipping are severely punished. Believers face a devastating dilemma: endure persecution and forced service or flee the country through routes made hazardous by trafficking, danger, and risk of torture.
Non-traditional Christian groups such as Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Baptist face the harshest repression. Unrecognised by the state, they endure raids, imprisonment, and systemic marginalisation. Worship is banned, members are labelled foreign agents, and their gatherings are criminalised. At times, the Eritrean Orthodox Church supports state efforts to suppress these groups. Young people are also highly vulnerable, as many are forcibly and indefinitely conscripted into the Eritrean military.
– That Christians in Eritrea’s notorious prison system will be strengthened to stay hopeful.
– That God provides for the daily needs of Christians arrested or detained for their faith.
– For Eritrea’s brutal dictatorship, that President Afwerki’s heart will turn to Jesus.
Open Doors works through strategic partnerships and local church networks in Eritrea to provide persecution-response training and discipleship.
