Open Doors reported, ‘Eritrean military officials arrested 35 Christians suspected of gathering for worship in Assab, a port city in Eritrea, on 3 July. The group, which included 17 women, was taken to the Adi-Nefase military camp, where conditions are notoriously harsh. At least two Christians imprisoned for their religious activities are known to have died while under arrest at Adi-Nefase since 2007. Meanwhile, the government continues to exert pressure on the sanctioned Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran and Islamic groups to enrol religious workers under the age of 30 for compulsory military training. Until now, church workers from these faiths have been exempt from military service because of their religious duties. More than 3,000 Orthodox priests, 10 Evangelical Lutheran pastors and 41 Muslim religious teachers have been inducted into Mitire Military Training Camp, but the Catholic Church is resisting the sign-up calls.’ And ‘We can thank God for the many imprisoned Christians who faithfully share Christ with their fellow prisoners.’

Pray: that many will come to know Jesus in the prisons through Christian witness and for God to sustain the families and friends of imprisoned Christians. (Ps.79:11)