Religion in Eritrea - Religious Persecution

Religious Persecution

Eritrea officially recognizes only the Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Christian churches and Sunni Islam. Certain religious groups are reported to be persecuted by the current Eritrean Government. These groups include independent non-Protestant Evangelicals and Wahabi Muslims suspected of being linked to armed Islamist or the mainly Muslim Eritrean Liberation Front opposition groups. Those practising religions that are not recognised face imprisonment. Human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented serious violations of the right to freedom of religion. They report disruption of private worship, mass arrests of participants at religious weddings, prayer meetings, and other gatherings. Amnesty reports that over 1,750 members of unregistered churches and suspect Muslims have been detained, typically without charges and for an indefinite period of time. This figure includes women and children.

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