E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1 Page 33 129. The Special Rapporteurs and the Working Group were informed that, on 28 May 2005, the security forces arrested a wedding party of over 200, including the bride, whose name was not known and the groom, Binyam Gezay, in Asmara. The only other name available was that of a gospel singer, Essey Stefanos. All those arrested were members of the banned Meseret Christos church in Eritrea. They were held in a police station in the Expo district of Asmara. Several detainees were released without charge on 29 May, but the majority remained in custody. According to Eritrean law they should have been brought before a court within 48 hours of arrest, but this had not been done. 130. Fear was expressed that the detainees were at risk of being tortured in an attempt to force them to renounce their faith. Communication sent on 14 October 2005 with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention 131. The Special Rapporteur and the Working Group brought to the attention of the Government the situation of: Ukbay (m), Yergalem Afewerki (f), Abraham (m), Berhane (m), Eden (f), Elsa (f), Freweyni (f), Gebremichael (m), Hamelmal (f), Pastor Simon (m), Teklemariam (m), Sirak Gebremichael(m), all members of the Kale Hiwot (Baptist) Church and Akberet Nigussie (f), Rema Church office administrator, who along with over 200 members of evangelical churches had been arrested on 30 September and 3 October 2005 at the Kale Hiwot Church’s Development Project, and were detained following a crackdown by the authorities in the capital, Asmara, which also resulted in the closing of the Church Project's office. Office equipment and documents were seized from the premises of both churches, which had been under continuous surveillance by the security forces for some days. 132. It was further reported that none of them had been charged with any offence and that they had not been brought before a court within 48 hours, as required by law. They were held without charge at the 5th Police Station in Asmara. They were believed to be at risk of torture. Response from Government dated 8 December 2005 133. The Government responded that the persons whose names were listed in the communication were not detained because of their religious beliefs but because they attempted to leave the country to evade participation in the mandatory National Service Program, endangered National Security in the name of religion and engaged in other crimes against the State. The competent authorities are determined to take similar actions against such criminal activities in the future. Observations 134. The Special Rapporteur regrets that she has not received any response from the Government with regard to the abovementioned cases. She is particularly concerned about the amount of allegations of arbitrary arrest and detention for religious reasons. She would like to draw attention to article 4 (f) of Resolution 2005/40 of the Commission on Human Rights , which provides that States shall ensure that “no one within their jurisdiction is deprived of the right to liberty or security of person because of religion or belief and that no one is subjected