kingdom of Saudi Arabia, BosNewsLife monitored Friday, September 1.
In one of the latest incidents, Indian Doctor Charanjit Singh, who follows the Sikh religion, was allegedly pressured to cut his hair and take off his turban in a hospital in Riyadh.
He refused and left his job in the Saidu capital to join another hospital, but there he reportedly faced a similar situation. An agent who arranged his deployment is apparently refusing to hand over the doctor’s passport.
In published remarks the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) expressed concern over the situation, and said it was the latest in a series of incidents against minorities, including Christians.
DEPORTING CHRISTIANS
Saudi Arabia deported four East African Christians in July after they were detained while leading a prayer service in Jeddah, Christians said.
Arrested on June 9, the church leaders were beaten and imprisoned for more than a month in "torturous conditions," claimed Compass Direct News, a Christian news agency.
Masai Wendewesen, deported to his native Ethiopia on July 16, was quoted as saying the Christians were never formally notified of the charges against them.
But according to his Saudi work sponsor, the four had been jailed for "preaching to Muslims, planting churches and gathering ladies and gentlemen together for prayer," the Ethiopian said.
DEATH PENALTY
The Christians were working in Saudi Arabia as chauffeurs and truck drivers. Proclaiming Christ to Muslims and building churches are forbidden in Saudi Arabia, where "apostasy" – leaving Islam – is a crime punishable by death.
Human rights groups say there has been growing pressure on non-Muslim foreigners working in Saudi Arabia and compare the situation with the "apartheid" days of South Africa when black people were discriminated. (With reports from India and Saudi Arabia).
