LONDON, ENGLAND — There are believed to be around 500 Christian prisoners of faith in Eritrea, many imprisoned indefinitely under appalling conditions. However recent reports indicate a growing number of them have been released.

A trusted contact of Release International says the government has set free 27 prisoners, most of whom have been behind bars for more than ten years. They have yet to be named.

There are indications that other Christian prisoners at the jail have been informed they could soon be set free.

This follows the release of 22 Methodist prisoners in July from another prison, mainly women and children.

There are reports from Eritrea that the government has released 27 Christian prisoners of faith, and hopes are rising that more could follow, according to Release International.

Another source has reported that a total of 69 Christians have now been released from prison.

Release International’s Andrew Boyd says while they welcome this development help will be need to rehabilitate those who have become institutionalized after so many years of captivity in terrible conditions.

Many of them have been jailed for ten years or more. They’re jailed indefinitely for nothing other than doing what we take for granted – meeting to pray or have fellowship or read their Bibles. For those reasons they’ve been jailed. They’ve been institutionalized, they will need help and they will need support.

Boyd concluded by highlighting the importance of campaign for the release of the remaining Christians still being held.

This is an encouraging sign. We want to see them all set free and more than that there is no reason why faith should be banned on any nation on earth. There’s now reason why faith and the act of Christian faith should be banned in Eritrea so we want to see full religious freedom restored in that nation and we would call on the Eritrean government to trust its citizens to give them the freedom that is there’s by right.

Read more news Eritrea and Christian Persecution on Missions Box.