Christian woman dies in prison

Senait Oqbazgi Habta (28) died on April 23 in the Sawa Military Training Centre in Eritrea after suffering severe abuse and being denied medical treatment for malaria and severe anemia. Senait was arrested in 2008, along with 15 other university students, for attending a Bible study group. She and the other students were imprisoned in large metal shipping containers where they suffered suffocating heat during the day and freezing temperatures at night. They were also deprived of fresh air, sanitation and medical attention. Sawa officials reportedly offered Senait her freedom and medical attention if she would recant her Christian beliefs, but she refused. Camp officials eventually relented and allowed her to be moved to the prison's medical centre. She died shortly after her transfer, however, due to her prolonged illnesses. (Source: Open Doors)

Pray for God's comfort, peace and encouragement for Senait's family and friends. Pray that God will continue to strengthen imprisoned Eritrean Christians by His grace. Pray that their persecutors will be convicted by their testimonies of faithfulness and seek salvation in Christ.

Find out more about the suffering of Eritrean Christians at the Eritrea Country Report.

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Eritrea Profile

Location
Africa

Population
5,939,484 (July 2011 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Tigrinya (55), Tigre (30), Saho (4), Kunama (2), Rashaida (2), Bilen (2), other (5)

Religion (%)
Muslim (50.26), Christian (47.31), Non-religious (1.87), Ethnoreligionist (0.56)

Leader
President Isaias Afworki

Government type
Transitional government

Legal system
Primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957 with revisions; new civil, commercial and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction.

Statistics provided by Operation World, CIA World Factbook and a WEA-RLC Research & Analysis Report sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Commission (RLC).