VZCZCXRO5298
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0427 3481053
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141053Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0637
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS ASMARA 000427 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PGOV SOCI ER
SUBJECT: GSE ARRESTS 27 WOMEN FOR PRAYING 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Eritrean government (GSE) arrested 27 women 
praying together in Asmara on December 6, according to 
multiple embassy sources (Note: although numerous media 
outlets report 30 arrests, local sources contend it to be 27. 
 End Note).  The women were members of the Faith Mission 
Church, a non-approved religious group with roots in the 
American Methodist tradition.  Those arrested were between 
the ages of 45 and 70.  Police arrested the women, who met 
each Sunday in a different house to worship, after a neighbor 
called to alert authorities that the women were praying. The 
women were taken to Police Station #1 in Asmara (across the 
street from the British Embassy) where they are currently 
being held.  The women are given water but no food, according 
to a close embassy source.  Family members must bring food to 
the women during visits.  Three of the women suffer from 
diabetes, and two from hypertension; the women do not receive 
medical attention while in prison.  Minister of Information 
Ali Abdu denied the allegations in a Reuters interview on 
December 10, stating he had not heard of the incident and 
then adding "I'm sure they were committing a crime." 
 
¶2. (SBU) The GSE recognizes only four religious groups in 
Eritrea: Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, and Lutheran.  Faith 
Mission Church is one of the four "compliant" religious 
groups, organizations that applied for recognition in 2002 as 
official religious groups but have not yet been approved. 
The other three groups are the Mehrete Yesus Evangelical 
Church, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and the Baha'i 
Faith.  The status of the four compliant groups is uncertain. 
 While many members practice their faith somewhat openly, the 
government arbitrarily arrests its members. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The president of the Faith Mission Church in Asmara 
complained to the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) on Monday 
December 7, pointing out the fact that Faith Mission had 
completed all the proper paperwork in 2002 and is not an 
illegal organization.  The ORA was reportedly shocked to hear 
that members of Faith Mission had been arrested and told the 
president that the office would coordinate with the police to 
secure the members' release.  The ORA has not been in touch 
with Faith Mission since. 
McMullen