Seventy Christians have been released from three prisons in Eritrea.
Twenty-one female and 43 male prisoners were released from Mai Serwa and Adi Abeito prisons, close to the capital city, Asmara. The prisoners had been held without charge or trial for periods of between two and 12 years.
Six female prisoners were released a month earlier. The women were arrested after worshipping in public as they were walking down a street, an event which was caught on camera and circulated via social media.
There is speculation that the welcome releases mark the latest effort by the Eritrean regime to distract international attention from the country’s active role in the ongoing war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where Eritrean troops have been accused of violence which may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes, and possibly genocide.
