A decade in an Eritrean prison, without charges "The families were deeply grieved at first. Every day since then, worry is added to their grief. They are afraid to speak about it or share what little they do know, for fear of adverse consequences on the men in prison." This is how friends describe the plight of the families of Paulos Eyassu, Negede Teklemariam and Isaac Mogos —imprisoned in Eritrea on September 24, 1994, without charges or trial. These young men refused to join the military and take up arms. Had they been charged for that "crime," the maximum prison sentence for conscientious objection is three years. Yet a decade later they still await a fair resolution. They are detained in the Sawa Prison and are denied visitors, including their families. The three men are now 33, 32 and 30 years old respectively. On Wednesday, September 15, the U.S. State Department released its Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, adding Eritrea as a country of particular concern. John V. Hanford, Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, gave the reason for this designation: "In Eritrea, the government, in 2002, shut down all religious activity outside of four officially recognized groups. All independent religious groups have been forced to close, and over 200 Protestant Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses remain in prison for their faith. Some reportedly have been subjected to severe torture and pressured to renounce their faith, and many others have been detained and interrogated." In 1994, Eritrea's president decreed that Jehovah's Witnesses, a small, peaceful religious group, had revoked their citizenship by not participating in the national referendum and not participating in military service. Following that decree, Witnesses could not work in any government office, they had their business licenses revoked, and their identity cards and travel documents were rescinded. The result for many has been economic hardship and for others, long-term imprisonment. At least 17 are presently incarcerated, including the three young men. As recently as January of this year, 2004, the Eritrean Embassy denied any problem exists, declaring: "Eritrea is a secular country with absolute freedom of belief." Contact: J. R. Brown, telephone:
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