The patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church has been forced out of office and officially placed under house arrest, according to reports received by the Eritrean website, Asmarino.com.

Abune Antonios had earlier been removed from effective control of the patriarchate and confined to ceremonial duties. His non-appearance at the recent Epiphany celebrations adds weight to reports of his total removal from office.

Abune Antonios is said to have been informed of his dismissal last week following secret meetings of the church's administrative body, the Holy Synod. The meetings were convened by Yoftahe Dimetros, a government-appointed lay person who assumed administrative control of the patriarchate in contravention of the church's constitution, which reserves membership of the Holy Synod to ordained Bishops and the chairmanship of the Synod to the patriarch.

Even more controversially, Mr Dimetros is also reported to have convened a second meeting on 20 January to choose a new patriarch, an act that is only undertaken by the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church. News Agency Compass Direct reports that Mr Dimetros also ordered the confiscation of the 78-year-old patriarch's car and the dismissal of his chauffeur.

The patriarch is reported to have robustly challenged the legality of his dismissal. He has pointed out that a living patriarch can only be removed from office if he is seriously ill, commits grievous sin or if he adheres to heresy. Moreover, such a removal can only be undertaken by the appropriately mandated church authorities. The patriarch has also said those who had signed his arbitrary dismissal order were excommunicated or suspended.

Since his ordination in April 2004, patriarch Antonios is said to have been increasingly critical of the government's continual interventions into church matters.

In January 2005, and for the first time ever, the traditional Orthodox Annual Christmas message was not aired on national media after the patriarch allegedly objected to the detention in November 2004 of three Orthodox priests from the Medhane Alem Church, and accused the government of interfering in church affairs. The patriarch also opposed requests to close down the church, which is linked to the Orthodox renewal movement and attracts thousands of young people. His close advisor Marigetta Yetbareke was later forced to resign and was subsequently taken into detention.

Also in 2005, Asmarino.com reported that prior to his removal from his administrative duties, the patriarch had increasingly begun to challenge the regime on spiritual grounds, and had objected to government intrusion through Mr Dimetros in the administration of the Patriarchate. Mr Dimetros is said to have repeatedly clashed with the patriarch as he attempted to coerce the Orthodox Church to adopt government inspired policies. He is also reported to have accompanied an Eritrean Bishop to Egypt to the seat of the Coptic Orthodox Church in July in an attempt to persuade the Papacy to replace patriarch Antonios with this Bishop.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW, said: "It is deplorable that Abune Antonios has been illegally forced out of office by a government agent who has usurped the powers of the patriarch in contravention of canon law. He has been treated appallingly simply for opposing state interference in church affairs. We utterly condemn this latest addition to the sad litany of religious repression in Eritrea. Again, the continued harassment of the legitimate prelate of a government-sanctioned church illustrates in reality the government is attempting to curtail every expression of Christianity in Eritrea."