Eritrea’s prisons claim two more believers

Pray for believers in Eritrea today.

Open Doors is reporting the deaths of two Christians in Eritrea's infamous detention centres, said Mission Network News yesterday.

Seble Hagos Mebrahtu, 27, died in the military training centre in Sawa on January 1. According to reliable sources, Mebrahtu was apparently refused medical treatment for malaria and died soon after.

Mehari Gebreneguse Asgedom, 42, was also denied medical treatment for complications from diabetes and injuries sustained from torture. He died on January 16, 2009, at the Mitire Military Confinement Centre.

These deaths come as the Eritrea government’s campaign against Christians escalates. Several large groups of believers—members of the underground church—have been arrested since the end of December. We shared with you on January 7 that 30 Christians were arrested for praying.

More than 3,000 Christians have been detained for their faith in Christ, since Eritrea’s government banned and criminalized dozens of churches outside of Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Islamic traditions in 2002. Most prisoners are kept in underground dungeons, metal shipping containers and military barracks. Several Christians have died while imprisoned due to torture and lack of medical attention. Too often, families wait years to hear any news of their loved ones' welfare.

Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Eritrea. Pray the newly arrested would remain firm in the faith. Pray God would use their testimonies of faithfulness to convict their persecutors of their need for salvation in Christ.