Abahamya ba Yehova babiri ari bo Habtemichael Tesfamariam na Habtemichael Mekonen bapfiriye muri gereza ya Mai Serwa, iri hafi y’umugi wa Asmara mu ntangiriro z’umwaka wa 2018. Bombi bafunzwe mu mpeshyi yo mu mwaka wa 2008 bazira imyizerere yabo, kandi bari bamaze imyaka igera hafi ku icumi babayeho nabi muri gereza.

Ku itariki 3 Mutarama 2018, nibwo Tesfamariam yapfiriye muri gereza ya Mai Serwa afite imyaka 76. Abo bari bafunganywe bavuga ko yaturitse umutsi wo mu bwonko. Tesfamariam yavukiye i Adi Yakulu, mu mugi wa Mendefera muri Eritereya mu mwaka wa 1942. Yabaye Umuhamya wa Yehova mu wa 1970 kandi yakomeje gushikama ku byo yizera nubwo yafunzwe azira ubusa kandi agafatwa nabi. Yari afite umugore witwa Leterberhan Bezabih, afite abahungu bane n’abakobwa batatu.

Ku itariki ya 6 Werurwe 2018, Mekonen yapfiriye muri gereza ya Mai Serwa afite imyaka 77. Abo bari bafunganywe bavuga ko yapfuye azize uburwayi bw’impyiko. Mekonen yavukiye mu mudugudu wa Kudo Felasi mu magepfo ya Eritereya mu mwaka 1940. Yari amaze imyaka 55 ari Umuhamya, kandi nk’uko byagenze kuri Tesfamariam, yakomeje gushikama ku byo yizera nubwo yafunzwe azira ubusa kandi agafatwa nabi. Yari afite umugore witwa Mihret Ellias, umwana w’umuhungu n’umukobwa.

Mekonen yari yibereye mu rugo iwe, igihe abayobozi bazaga kumufata muri Nyakanga 2008. Nanone Tesfamariam nawe yari yibereye mu rugo, igihe yafungwaga muri Kanama 2008. Bombi baje kujyanwa muri gereza izwi cyane ya Meitir iri mu butayu buri mu majyaruguru ya Asmara. Aho hantu hari habi kandi bafatwa nabi cyane. Abayobozi bahaye Abahamya bari bahafungiye igihano kihariye maze babafungira munsi y’ubutaka kuva mu Kwakira 2011 kugeza muri Kanama 2012. Abari bahafungiye bicwaga n’ubushyuhe bukomeye bwo mu mpeshyi kandi nta mazi cyangwa ibiryo bihagije bari bafite. Ibyo byatumye bose bagira uburwayi bukomeye.

Mu wa 2017, abayobozi bimuye Abahamya bari muri gereza ya Meitir babajyana mu ya Mai Serwa, aho baba bemerewe kugemurirwa n’imiryango yabo no kwivuza. Abo Bahamya bishimiye koherezwa mu yindi gereza ijya kuba nziza, ariko Tesfamariam na Mekonen bo bakomeza kuremba.

Tesfamariam na Mekonen si bo Bahamya ba mbere bapfiriye muri gereza yo muri Eritereya, cyangwa bagapfa hashize igihe gito barekuwe. Kubera imimerere mibi cyane yo muri gereza no gufatwa nabi, hari abandi Bahamya babiri bapfiriye muri gereza naho abandi batatu bapfa hashize igihe gito barekuwe. Hari n’abandi Bahamya bagera kuri barindwi, bamaze imyaka runaka bafunguwe, ariko na n’ubu bakaba bagifite ibibazo by’uburwayi bukomeye batewe n’ubuzima bubi bwo muri gereza. Abahamya bagera kuri 53 harimo n’umuvandimwe wa Tesfamariam witwa Tareke, baracyafungiwe muri Eritereya bazira ukwizera kwabo.

Ku itariki ya 8 Kamena 2016, Akanama k’Umuryango w’Abibumbye Gaharanira Uburenganzira bw’Ikiremwamuntu kasohoye raporo yakozwe na komisiyo yashyizweho n’Umuryango w’Abibumbye iharanira uburenganzira bw’ikiremwamuntu muri Eritereya (COIE). Iyo komisiyo yasabye Eritereya “kubahiriza uburenganzira abantu bafite bwo kujya mu idini bashaka” kandi inasaba icyo gihugu “kutongera gufata no gufunga abantu kibaziza imyizerere yabo, urugero nk’Abahamya ba Yehova, . . . no guhita irekura abantu bose bafunzwe mu buryo bunyuranyije n’amategeko kandi ntigire andi mananiza ishyiraho.” Nanone iyo komisiyo yashoje ivuga ko kuba Eritereya “itoteza abantu ibaziza idini ryabo n’ubwoko bwabo” binyuranyije n’amategeko mpuzamahanga kandi ko ari “icyaha gikorerwa inyokomuntu.”

Abahamya ba Yehova biringiye ko imiryango mpuzamahanga itazirengagiza iby’uru rupfu rwa Tesfamariam na Mekonen kandi ko ibyo byago byabaye bizatuma abayobozi bo muri Eritereya bashyira mu gaciro, bagira icyo bakora ngo barenganure abafunzwe bazira ukwizera kwabo.