Eritrea: The Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Fight for Religious Freedom
Global Human Rights Taskforce | 2026 Special Investigation
Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right. No person should be imprisoned, deprived of basic civil rights, separated from their family, or subjected to mistreatment simply because they follow their conscience or peacefully practice their faith.
The Global Human Rights Taskforce (GHRTF) is releasing its latest 2026 Special Investigation Report, examining the documented persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Eritrea and placing that persecution within the broader human-rights situation facing the country.
A Pattern That Has Continued for Decades
The report examines the situation of Jehovah’s Witnesses following the Eritrean government's 1994 presidential decree that stripped Eritrean-born Jehovah’s Witnesses of citizenship rights.
According to the December 2025 report provided by Jehovah’s Witnesses, 64 members of the faith were imprisoned at the time of publication, including 37 men and 27 women. The report states that more than 317 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been imprisoned since 1994 and that at least seven have died as a result of imprisonment. 1013193_E_cnt_1
The report documents allegations of imprisonment without charge or trial, restrictions on religious gatherings, denial of citizenship documentation, restrictions affecting education and employment, and detention of people who object to military service on grounds of conscience.
These concerns are not limited to documentation produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) independently reported that 64 Jehovah’s Witnesses remained detained during 2025 and documented continuing restrictions on religious freedom in Eritrea. (USCIRF)
Human Rights Watch's World Report 2026 likewise reported that 64 Jehovah’s Witnesses were behind bars as of April 2025 and documented broader restrictions involving religious freedom, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and indefinite national service. (Human Rights Watch)
When Conscience Becomes a Prison Sentence
One of the central issues examined in the GHRTF investigation is conscientious objection to military service.
Jehovah’s Witnesses object to military service on religious and conscientious grounds. The December 2025 report states that Eritrea does not provide a genuine alternative civilian service and that those who refuse military service may be arrested and detained indefinitely.
The issue has also reached the African human-rights system.
In Three Jehovah’s Witnesses v. The State of Eritrea, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights found Eritrea responsible for violations of Articles 5, 6 and 7(1) of the African Charter in connection with the prolonged detention and treatment of three Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Commission requested that Eritrea compensate the victims and take measures to comply with the African Charter and applicable fair-trial principles. (African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights)
Children and Families Are Also Affected
The investigation also examines the impact on children.
The December 2025 report states that since January 2023, at least five children of Jehovah’s Witnesses had been expelled from school after declining to sing the national anthem based on their religious conscience. It also reports the imprisonment of a 16-year-old boy and arrests of parents connected to the positions taken by their children.
The report further documents the November 2024 arrests of four Witness students between the ages of 16 and 18 at Asmara Technical School.
These accounts raise questions not only about religious freedom, but also about children's rights, access to education, family unity and protection from arbitrary detention.
A Broader Human Rights Crisis
The persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot be examined separately from the wider human-rights environment in Eritrea.
Independent reporting documents continuing concerns involving:
indefinite national and military service;
forced labour;
arbitrary and prolonged detention;
enforced disappearances;
torture and ill-treatment;
restrictions on freedom of expression;
restrictions on freedom of assembly and association;
limitations on political participation;
religious persecution; and
pressure against Eritreans living outside the country.
Human Rights Watch documented these concerns in its World Report 2026, including continuing indefinite national service, arbitrary detention and restrictions on civic and religious freedoms. (Human Rights Watch)
USCIRF's 2026 reporting likewise identified continuing severe restrictions on religious freedom and documented detention and mistreatment of members of religious communities. (USCIRF)
The Human Cost
Behind every statistic is a person.
The GHRTF report examines individual cases, including that of Letebrhan Tesfay, an elderly Jehovah’s Witness who, according to the December 2025 community report, was detained following a religious gathering in her home. Her daughter was also imprisoned.
Other cases documented in the report describe people spending years in detention, families separated by imprisonment and individuals experiencing serious health consequences while incarcerated.
These cases demonstrate the human consequences of prolonged detention and restrictions on religious practice.
Why GHRTF Is Publishing This Investigation
The mission of the Global Human Rights Taskforce is to document human-rights concerns, elevate credible evidence and encourage accountability and protection of fundamental rights.
This investigation does not rely on a single source. It places the December 2025 Jehovah’s Witnesses report alongside documentation from international and independent human-rights organizations and the African human-rights system.
The purpose is not to speak for one religious community, but to examine documented evidence concerning fundamental rights that apply to every person, regardless of religion or belief.
Freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, protection from arbitrary detention, humane treatment in custody and access to due process are universal human-rights principles.
Read the Full GHRTF Special Investigation
The complete 2026 GHRTF Special Investigation Report: “Eritrea — The Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Broader Human Rights Crisis” examines the evidence in greater detail, including individual cases, international findings, children's rights, conscientious objection, detention conditions and recommendations for Eritrean authorities.
Read the full report:
The report calls for continued international attention to the situation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and other individuals whose fundamental rights are affected by Eritrea's policies and practices.
Human rights are universal. Freedom of conscience is a human right. And documenting violations is an essential part of pursuing accountability.
Source
Comments