The Catholic Bishop and a Priest arrested and detained in Eritrea on October 15 have been set free, a source has told ACN.
The source in the Northeastern African country confirmed the release of Bishop Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim and Fr. Mehereteab Stefanos, who, until his detention, was serving as Parish Priest of St Michael’s Parish of Segheneity Eparchy.
“Bishop Fikremariam and Fr Mehereteab were liberated from prison yesterday, thank you for your prayers and support”, the source said.
Tensions in the African country are growing due to clashes between the different separatist movements in the Tigray region. In addition, the country is intensifying its involvement in Ethiopia’s civil war, hampering efforts to end the fighting that has destabilized the entire region for the past two years.
The bishop had publicly spoken out against participation in the war in Ethiopia, among other things, warning the faithful not to take advantage of the goods looted by the army from the population of Tigray and put up for sale in Eritrean markets. In addition to this arrest, the government has been progressively restricting the social and charitable activities of the Church , nationalizing, among other things, some schools and health centers, as is the most recent case of the agricultural institute of the De La Salle Brothers in Hagaz and the Salesian technical institute of Decaméré.
