Source: International Christian Concern, April 25, 2023
Earlier this month, Eritrean police raided a group of Christian college students who had gathered to worship and record video clips for social media.
Release International reported that 103 Christians, mainly students, were arrested in the crackdown. The raid took place in the capital, Asmara, and those arrested were taken to Mai Serwa prison.
There are now more than 500 Christian prisoners detained indefinitely without trial in Eritrea. The prison where the students were taken, Mai Serwa, is notorious for its harsh conditions, overcrowding, and poor treatment of inmates.
Read the full story. Note that our efforts to confirm this story or find an update have not been successful, though other news sources have picked up the original story from Release or this version from ICC.
Religious tolerance can be difficult to maintain even in places where it is a stated value. Another story from ICC involves university students, this time in West Aceh, Indonesia, where four Muslim students were expelled from a student organization for a social media post wishing Christians a “Happy Good Friday.” This was considered apostasy and required the students to apologize to university leaders and be re-Islamized.
Also, on Monday, May 1, The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released an annual report describing worsening religious freedom conditions in a number of countries.