A/HRC/38/50 64. Fear to share anything that could be perceived by the Government as criticism, such as details about the arrest and detention of a relative, remains high. 65. Indiscriminate mass arrests were carried out to instil fear, quell any kind of dissent, protest or resistance in the face of human rights violations, and prevent demonstrators from assembling. The military/security forces fired gunshots and used excessive force during arrests in October 2017. Participation in the funeral of Musa Mohammed Nur on 3 March was also severely punished when the Government arrested hundreds of persons who had dared to attend. 66. There is still no free and independent reporting on the situation by Eritreans from within the country. In Eritrea, information considered to be sensitive, such as the Akhria events and those that occurred during the funeral of Musa Mohammed Nur, is suppressed. 67. International and regional human rights standards to which Eritrea has adhered, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, stipulate that the Eritrean authorities should respect freedom of expression and the right of people to assemble peacefully. The Eritrean authorities should release unconditionally and with immediate effect those arbitrarily arrested for expressing their views and demonstrating peacefully. 5. Religious persecution 68. Followers of both recognized6 and unrecognized religions7 continue to be targeted for their religious beliefs; persecution persists. Arrests and detention on religious grounds continued throughout the year under review. While the number of arrests and detentions of those practising an unrecognized religion were higher, followers of recognized religions were also arrested. 69. The Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Abune Antonios, remains under house arrest since January 2007. On 16 July 2017, Abune Antonios was brought to Enda Mariam Cathedral in Asmara during a liturgical service. It was his first public appearance since he was placed under house arrest in 2007. Allegedly, he was surrounded by security guards and did not participate in the service, or interact with anyone. According to the information received, he was subsequently escorted to different premises from those where he had previously been held. 70. During his visit to Enda Mariam Cathedral, a letter was read out, apparently in an effort to suggest that a reconciliation agreement had been reached between the Patriarch and the Government. Abune Antonios was ordered to step down, so that a new person could be appointed as patriarch instead. He refused and remains under house arrest, being monitored by a minder all day who controls access to him. Abune Antonios, who is over 90 years old, suffers from severe diabetes and high blood pressure and there are concerns about his access to health care. 71. Additionally, the Orthodox school at Enda Mariam Cathedral has been closed, with students ordered to report to State-run schools. Reportedly, priests were also arrested though it is not clear currently whether they have been released. 72. The activities of the Catholic Church in Eritrea have also been disrupted. The Government closed the minor seminary in the city of Asmara in October 2017. A Catholic nun and a priest were arrested and detained for several months in the context of the institution’s closure. Other acts of persecution include prohibiting seminarians, nuns, priests and other religious figures from going abroad for further education. Additionally, Church religious superiors cannot obtain visas to travel to Eritrea for meetings or to visit affiliate congregations or orders. The authorities have also closed five clinics run by the Catholic Church in different cities, such as Dekemhare, Mendefera and Tsorona, justifying their acts by saying that these clinics duplicated the State-run ones. Allegedly, the explanation for such 6 7 The Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Evangelical Church and Sunni Islam. The Baptist Church, evangelical and Pentecostal churches and Jehovah’s Witnesses, among others. 11