Eritrean Pastor Disappears, 10 Protestants Arrested

LOS ANGELES, August 23 (Compass Direct News) - Christians in Eritrea confirmed yesterday that a Protestant pastor in Asmara who disappeared 11 days ago remains missing.

Pastor Leule Gebreab of Asmara's Apostolic Church failed to return home to his family on Sunday, August 12. Since his disappearance, no one among his relatives or congregation has been able to learn anything about his whereabouts, despite inquiries to the local authorities.

"His wife is greatly distressed about his disappearance," a local source told Compass.

Gebreab, 35, is married with two children, an 8-year-old son and an infant daughter.

Just a week after Gebreab vanished, police arrested 10 members of the Full Gospel Church who had gathered in a home in the Kahawata suburb of Asmara last Sunday morning (August 19). The four women and six men accused of worshipping together were put into detention at Police Station No. 2 in Asmara.

The Eritrean government criminalized all independent Protestant churches in May 2002, closing their buildings and banning them from even meeting together in private homes. read more >>