Not just any people, but evangelicals and Pentecostals, who the authorities consider to be a threat to the state. Thus, everything from church cell groups to wedding ceremonies are cause for government concern - and discipline.

"The churches see an opportunity to get together, but it's a wedding, not a worship service," Nettleton said.

Eritrea's political history includes a complicated mix of rebel resistance, communist influence and mistrust of religion in general, evangelical Christianity in particular.

The country of 4.4 million people was part of Ethiopia until 1991, when rebels won independence for their new nation. Until 2002, there was, for the most part, religious freedom.

But during the last three years the authorities have clamped down on evangelicals. In May of 2002, the government announced that all churches other than Muslin, Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran were to be immediately closed. Since then, more than 900 evangelicals have been arrested for what authorities are calling "a new religion."

Recently, however, even the Orthodox Church has come under suspicion. Last month, the church's leader was relieved of his duties by the government for not toting the party line as fervently as officials wanted.

"It's now clear that the government is saying, 'You can remain open as long as you do what we say,'" Moeller said.

The government denies any wrongdoing, as do many of the religious authorities, Moeller said. But evidence to the contrary continues to mount.