Govt concern after Christians re-arrested in Eritrea

The Irish Government are “deeply concerned” after the arrest of 15 Christians due to their faith in Eritrea earlier this month.

The Christians had been arrested and imprisoned previously on the basis of their religious belief, most for five to six years but some for as long as 16, according to human rights organisation Release International. They had been freed in September 2020 due to measures taken to tackle Covid-19.

Following a question from Peadar Toibín TD of Meath West about the situation and the Government’s response, the Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy TD said: “I am deeply concerned by the imprisonment of Christians in Eritrea on the basis of their religious belief.

“The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion… is regarded as a fundamental freedom, provided for under Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Ireland strongly condemns all forms of persecution on the basis of religion or belief, irrespective of where they occur or who the victims are,” he said.

Mr Brophy said that Ireland has “consistently expressed concern about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including through our engagement at the United Nations Human Rights Council”.

Ireland has made two statements on Eritrea at sessions of the Human Rights Council this year, echoing the call of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for the Eritrean authorities to cooperate with UN and AU human rights mechanisms to address ongoing human rights violations.

In March 2021, the EU imposed sanctions on Eritrea’s National Security Agency under the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions regime, citing their responsibility for serious human-rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture by its agents.

Mr Brophy added: “My officials and Ireland’s Embassies in Nairobi (accredited to Eritrea) and Addis Ababa, continue to monitor the human rights situation in Eritrea and Ethiopia closely, including the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”

The Christians who were arrested were taken to the Mai Serwa maximum security prison in Eritrea’s capital of Asmara after a list of Christian contacts was discovered.