Until now, this man's story has been a secret. Hounded and harried, tortured and abused by the authorities in his own country, in 2010 Pastor Tesfatsion Hagos escaped from the open prison also known as the nation of Eritrea. With the help of CSW and other organisations, he finally made it to safety in Australia and has been reunited with wife and daughters after eight years – and now he's able to share his story.
"I felt the prayers" – how you can help those in prison
What you've just seen is the astonishing true story of how a church leader in one of the most repressive countries in the world not only survived, but triumphed. Pastor Hagos will never forget his ordeal: chained, starved, beaten, deprived of essential medication and tortured for years. But I consider it a triumph that despite all that, his spirit remains unbroken, that he's able to share his story with us, expressing his hope for change in Eritrea because "God has a purpose". "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
Hearing Pastor Hagos say that he felt the power of our prayers while he was in prison was a great encouragement to me to keep praying for prisoners. CSW has been praying for him and working on his case for years. In 2009, when we made our submission to the UN's Universal Periodic Review of human rights in Eritrea, we specifically mentioned his case as evidence of the religious persecution in that country.
A family torn apart for years, and finally reunited
While Pastor Hagos was being tortured in an Eritrean prison, his wife and daughters fled to the safety of Australia. They were devastated by their separation, and at times must have feared they may never see him again.
Even after escaping to a nearby African country, Pastor Hagos remained in danger. At the time informed CSW's advocate that he knew the Eritrean authorities, who are known for pursuing high-profile quarry across international borders, were actively seeking him: "but God alone guides me – if I am spotted in one area, I don't go there again." He was also in urgent need of medical attention following the torture he'd undergone in prison, so CSW helped to pay some of his medical expenses.
After we helped him through the process of acquiring official refugee status, he was eventually granted asylum in Australia. Finally, one wonderful day, this man of God was reunited with his wife and daughters. It thrills my heart to imagine the rejoicing of that family!
Breakthrough at the UN – Eritrea's human rights abuses exposed
Just two months ago, in March, we had a major breakthrough at the UN, where we helped to persuade 44 country delegations to support a statement drawing attention to Eritrea's appalling human rights record. It's significant because the statement was led by other African countries, which often stay silent on human right issues affecting the continent. We hope that this statement will lay the foundation for a more powerful and binding resolution later in the year.
Pastor Hagos has triumphed over the persecution he endured. But there are thousands like him, still suffering in Eritrea. Please keep praying for them, and for CSW's efforts at the UN, working at the highest levels to persuade world governments that the horrors in Eritrea simply cannot continue.
Mervyn Thomas
CSW Chief Executive
More from Mervyn Thomas
Make the facts about Eritrea impossible to deny 10/05/2012
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