Government security agents arrested Mr. Demoz Afwerki, a senior official of the Housing and Commerce Bank of Eritrea (HCBE), last week. Mr. Demoz Afwerki, an elderly man in his late sixties, was taken by the secret police from his office in the main premises of the HCBE in Asmara.  His arrest is believed to be related to his religious faith. Before the ban on evangelical churches, Mr. Demoz Afwerki was attending the Full Gospel church in Asmara.

His current whereabout is unknown.

Following his arrest, a circular was sent out to the Bank�s employees designating an interim head of the Inspection Department as his replacement.  Mr. Demoz Afwerki had been working at the HCBE since 1993.