wolf_shadow | Amnesty

Helen Berhane - Eritrea

"You will receive no visitors and you will rot here until you sign this paper." Reported threat made to Helen Berhane by a military commander

Background

Helen Berhane © Private

Helen Berhane, 30, is a well known gospel singer in Eritrea, particularly popular with young people. On 13 May 2004, shortly after she released an album of Christian music, Helen was arrested when she refused to sign a document pledging to end all participation in Christian activities, effectively forcing her to abandon her faith.

Amnesty International believes that since this date Helen has been imprisoned in a metal shipping container at Mai Serwa military camp, north of the capital Asmara. Such containers have no washing or toilet facilities, and are swelteringly hot during the day and freezing cold at night.

Despite promises of release if she abandons her faith and religious singing, Helen has persistently refused to do so.

Helen is a member of the Rema church, one of several minority Christian churches not officially recognized by the state of Eritrea. She is one of almost 150 women members of banned evangelical churches who have been detained without charge or trial on account of their religious beliefs.

In May 2002 the government of Eritrea ordered the closure of all churches except those representing four recognised faiths – Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Islam.

This followed the establishment of a compulsory registration scheme for all religious organisations under the Department for Religious Affairs. Though minority churches were reportedly willing to comply with these demands the process was fraught with difficulties and so most were unable to do so. Arrests of members of unauthorised minority religions followed, including many children.

Amnesty International is concerned for Helen Berhane’s welfare and is calling for her immediate and unconditional release as a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of religion.

Take action

Please write to the Eritrean authorities calling on them to:

Acknowledge where Helen Berhane is detained
Ensure that Helen Berhane is treated humanely and moved from the metal shipping container where she is believed to be held to an authorized place of detention
Grant Helen Berhane immediate access to family, lawyers and medical care
Release Helen immediately and unconditionally as she is a prisoner of conscience detained solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of religion as guaranteed in the Eritrean constitution
Immediately and unconditionally release all others detained solely on account of their religious beliefs
End the 2002 ban on all churches except those representing four recognized faiths

Please send your appeal to:

Commissioner of Prisons
Brigadier General
Ghirmay Mehari
Department of Penitentiary Institutions
Ministry of Internal Affairs
PO Box 712
Asmara
Eritrea

Language: English or your own first language

Salutation: Dear Commissioner

Further action

For more campaigning ideas on this case, please download the case sheet below. Please note that the Greetings Card Campaign action on the front of the case-sheet has now closed - please focus on the actions on the reverse.

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