This week's persecuted church: Eritrea

A friend of Ruta’s sister, Zula, likewise attracted attention because of her ‘strange’ behaviour – she had refused to drink and dance at a military camp party. When asked about this, she admitted that she was a “Pente” and was immediately taken to prison.

Zula and Yonas were offered the chance to sign a statement, Ruta says, promising to abstain from practising their faith as a condition for release.

Both declined. Whereas Yonas spent two years in prison and returned to the army, Zula remains in custody.

“Until now, five years later, while my sister has been studying and has achieved so many things, Zula is still in prison because she decided to follow Jesus,” Ruta says.

According to USCIRF’s Annual Report 2011, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 people being held hostage by the authorities on religious grounds. Prisoners face horrendous conditions, such as being kept in airless metal containers in the desert heat or herded like animals in underground cells without toilet facilities.

Many contract diseases due to the lack of hygiene, while others die from starvation and hunger. The ones who do survive are tortured on a daily basis.

“It is physical but most of all mental punishment”, Ruta says. “There are so many things they do to the prisoners.”

She explains that prisoners are forced to do “ridiculous things”, like counting the grains of sand in the burning sun in the middle of the desert. The heat and the humiliating work makes some of them “lose it”.

For her there are only two options: “Either you come out stronger or you get crazy.”

Yonas’ experience has strengthened his faith and he told Ruta that the more they punished him, the more he loved God.

Thought of the Day:  Dominoes
Song of the Day:  BoA-Eat You Up