Gender: Male

Current Location: Mai Serwa Prison

Perpetrator: Eritrea

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: January/24/2005

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Not Applicable

Henok Ghebru

Extra Bio Info:

Henok Ghebru is detained for his religious belief. 

In January 2005, police authorities detained Ghebru for not having a government ID after the government had stripped Jehovah's Witnesses of their citizenship and identification documents in the 1990s. When authorities pressured him to serve in the army, Ghebru conscientiously objected to serving in the military based on his religious conviction as a Jehovah's Witness. Authorities confined him in Wi'a, a prison known for extreme heat in the day and cold at night. 

During detention, prison guards beat Ghebru and interrogated him harshly. Authorities transferred him to Mai Serwa prison and subjected him to forced labor, which caused him to develop severe back pain and another medical condition. Prison authorities refused him access to medical care or assistance from family or friends for 7 years until finally permitting an alleviating surgery. Ghebru was never formally charged, and authorities denied him a trial and access to legal representation.

Ghebru's father, an elder, was imprisoned four times and sentenced to death. Most of Ghebru's other family members were also arrested during a large crackdown on Jehovah's Witnesses in 2014.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Eritrea

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: February/9/2005

Date of Release: December/4/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Conscientious Objection Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Not Applicable

Bemnet Fissehaye

Extra Bio Info:

Bemnet Fissehaye was detained for his religious beliefs.

On February 9, 2005, authorities arrested Fissehaye for conscientiously objecting to performing compulsory military service.

On December 4, 2020, Fissehaye was released, following concerns about COVID-19 in prisons. 

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Eritrea

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: March/6/2004

Date of Release: December/4/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Conscientious Objection Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Not Applicable

Ambakom Tsegazeab

Extra Bio Info:

Ambakom Tsegazeab was detained for his religious belief.

On March 6, 2004, authorities arrested Tsegazeab for conscientiously objecting to performing compulsory military service.

On December 4, 2020, Tsegazeab was released, following concerns about COVID-19 in prisons.

Publicly Available Information:
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