An evangelist imprisoned since 2006 for his Christian activities is receiving especially harsh treatment because of his ministry to inmates.

An Eritrean evangelist who has been imprisoned since 2006 has reportedly told friends he may die soon as he receives harsh prison treatment because of his evangelistic activities among fellow inmates, BosNewsLife monitored Thursday, September 25.

Eritrean authorities confiscated and burned 1,500 Bibles from new high school students who arrived at country's main military training city, and detained eight students who protested the destruction of the books, Christians said Wednesday, October 15.

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org has learned that Eritrean officials imprisoned about 20 Christians belonging to the underground Faith Missions Church on October 12, 2008 in Deki-Zeru, a town 30km away from Asmara, the capital.

Several churches in Eritrea were without their leaders or other believers Sunday, December 21, as a government-backed campaign of mass arrests reached the capital Asmara amid fears several detainees died of mistreatment, Christians said.