Eritrean Christian Dies in Prison

Eritrean Christian Dies in Prison

A Christian woman perished from pneumonia in an Eritrean prison after facing harsh conditions and denial of medical treatment -- all because she would not renounce her faith, Baptist Press reports. Wehazit Berhane Debesai is the 25th known Christian to have died in prison in Eritrea. According to a report from Open Doors USA, the exact date of death of the woman in her 30s is unknown. Eritrean authorities arrested her a year ago and held her near the Ethiopian border for being involved in Christian activities outside the Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran church groups. Debesai's death came as government forces arrested 70 Christians who met for prayer in the capital of Asmara. This latest development brings the total number of Christians arrested this year in Eritrea to nearly 300. Local Christians call it the government's most serious campaign against the church so far.



Eritrean Christian Dies in Prison