The Eritrean security forces rounded up sixty-two people on January 9, 2005 from a wedding ceremony in Barentu. The arrested are mostly adherents of the Pentecostal Church (Locally known as Menfesawyan) but they included adherents of other faiths who were invited guests.

The arrested, including two bridegrooms and two brides who were getting married in the same day, were taken to the Barentu police station and on the next day handed over to the Eritrean army�s region 2 operations unit (Serehit Zoba 2).

Though there is no official news regarding their whereabouts, witnesses informed Gedab News that some of the arrested were sent to Sawa military camp while others were hauled to the Tehadso, (reformation) camp, a prison located in the town of Barentu.