The Eritrean authorities have broken up a meeting of Christian college students and arrested more than 100 believers.
Release International’s partner says 103 Christians, mainly students, were arrested in the capital Asmara earlier this month.
Police raided a group who had gathered to sing and record video clips for social media. They have been taken to Mai Serwa prison.
This latest arrest puts the number of Christian prisoners detained indefinitely without trial in Eritrea to more than 500.
Release International’s partner describes the country ‘as the North Korea of Africa, resembling one giant prison’.
Mai Serwa prison is notorious for its harsh conditions and mistreatment of inmates, many of whom are political prisoners.
According to the United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Mai Serwa has a reputation for overcrowding, with prisoners often held in small, cramped cells for extended periods of time.
The prison is also known for its use of torture and other forms of mistreatment, including beatings, starvation, and denial of medical care.
The Eritrean government detains individuals without charge or trial and has held many in detention for years without access to legal representation or the due process of law.
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