Pastor Meron Gebreselasie

Pastor Meron Gebreselasie was arrested on June 3, 2004. Meron, also known as Million, was the pastor of Massawa Rhema Evangelical Church in Massawa, a Red Sea port city. He was also an anaesthetist at Massawa Hospital.

Meron was arrested shortly after Pastor Tesfatsion Hagos of Asmara, who was arrested on May 27, 2004, while visiting Meron. On his way to return Tesfatsion’s belongings to his home in Asmara, Meron was detained at a checkpoint. He has been in prison ever since.

He was held for two months at Asmara’s 2nd Police Station before being moved to the maximum-security Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Interrogation Center, where many of Eritrea’s prominent Christian leaders arrested after the 2002 religious crackdown are believed to be held. None have been charged, tried or given prison sentences.

The pastor was not married.