Mussie Eyob

Name: Mussie Eyob

Age: 40

Country/Area of Origin: Eritrea

Background: Mussie Eyob converted to Christianity in 2008

Reason for Arrest:

In 2011, while temporarily residing in Saudi Arabia, Mussie went to a local mosque in Jeddah to talk to attendees and preach about Christianity. He was arrested in February of 2011 for his evangelism, because preaching and proselytizing to Muslims is a capital offense in Saudi Arabia. At first, authorities were concerned that he might be mentally ill for doing something so illegal, but psychiatric tests confirmed that he was totally sane; because he was deemed fit for trial, he was transferred to Briman prison. However, following global outcry by human rights activists around the world, authorities deported him back to Eritrea in November of the same year rather than carrying out the death sentence.

Mussie arrived in Asmara, Eritrea in November 2011 and was immediately detained by Eritrean security officials and transferred to a prison which was later revealed to be Me’etr prison camp; Me’etr prison was constructed in 2007 to hold Christian prisoners of conscience, and it is notorious for insufficient food and climate control. Mussie was later transferred to Mai Serwa Prison.

Latest Updates:

  • In February 2021, it was revealed that Mussie Eyob had officially been released in prison in late 2020. He was released alongside other Eritrean prisoners of conscience Twen Theodros and Akilu Desbele.