GSE GOES ALL OUT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHRISTIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000492 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL/IRF LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF KE ER SUBJECT: GSE GOES ALL OUT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHRISTIAN "HERETICS" Classified By: CDA Melinda Tabler-Stone for reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: PolOff met with Reverend Zecharias Abraham (protect) of the Mehrete Yesus Evangelical Presbyterian Church Sept 26 to discuss religious freedom violations perpetrated by the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE). Zecharias reported three recent developments in the GSE's efforts to stamp out religious freedom: banning evangelicals from using Coptic cemeteries, physically torturing Jehovah's Witnesses, and stifling Orthodox dissenters in Kenya. End Summary. "HERETICS" BANNED FROM CEMETERIES -------------- ¶2. (C) Reverend Zecharias confided to PolOff that the administrator of the Coptic church, Yeftahe Dimitros, recently circulated a mandate branding evangelicals as heretics and forbidding them from using burial grounds owned by the Orthodox church. Evangelical representatives reportedly complained to zoba (regional) administrators about the new restrictions and were told it was out of their hands, implying that the order had been approved directly by the President. The Coptic administrator, Yeftahe, is reported to be a former Eritrean ambassador to Israel. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ACCUSED OF U.S.-BACKED TREASON -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Zecharias also reported that approximately two dozen Jehovah's Witnesses have been held in Police Station No. 2 for more than two months. The religious prisoners are being held on charges of attempting to overthrow the Eritrean governmeWtWwith assistanWeWfrom the U.S. government. Reportedly, the prisoners are being physically tortured until they confess to the accusations. Of the two dozen imprisoned, four are over the age of 70. HUNTING DOWN RELIGIOUS DISSENTERS IN KENYA -------------- ¶4. (C) Zecharias corroborated reports that an Eritrean Orthodox priest in Kenya faced persecution by the GSE. Zecharias explained the priest is an outspoken dissenter against the GSE-backed head of the Orthodox Church, Bishop Dioscoros, drawing the negative attention of GSE officials as a result. According to Zecharias, the Eritrean ambassador assembled a team of Kenyan police officers to hunt down the priest and deport him to Eritrea, where Zecharias suspects he would face imprisonment and torture. Thus far, police have failed to capture him and he is thought to have fled the country. TABLERSTONE