(RNS) — Thirty years after Eritrea revoked the citizenship of Jehovah’s Witnesses, international human rights experts are condemning the nation’s persecution of the religious group and advocating for the release of wrongfully detained prisoners. In light of the arrests, human rights experts have chosen to speak up as the anniversary of the denial of citizenship approached. While Jehovah’s Witnesses characterized their lack of participation as political neutrality, not opposition to Eritrean independence, the Eritrean government responded by stripping Jehovah’s Witnesses of their citizenship. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses in Eritrea are effectively barred from holding government jobs, receiving government benefits and accessing bank accounts. The lack of official documents also prevents many Jehovah’s Witnesses from owning property, finding employment or leaving the country.

Source: Ethiopian News November 07, 2024 20:35 UTC