Arabia’s feared religious police arrested at least dozens of Christians in what it called "the largest crackdown" against believers in a decade, but warned the final figure could be in excess of 100.
"ICC is getting reports of 46 confirmed arrests of Christians, with some sources citing in excess of 100 Christians arrested," the organization said in a statement to BosNewsLife News Center. Another source with close knowledge about the situation told BosNewsLife Wednesday, June 1, that at least almost 100 foreign Christians, including Indians, have been detained in recent days.
"In phone calls to me, we know of at least 80 to 90 arrests being made by the regular police and the religious police…The arrests are continuing [and] so far, [they] are taking place only in the capital, Riyadh, but we don’t know the final extent of this," he said.
The Washington D.C. based ICC, which has close contacts with the US Congress and the State Department, claimed the arrests took place from Friday through Wednesday, June 1, in a coordinated effort between "standard police forces and Muttawa" the religious police. "In the last couple of days the raids have spread from the capital, Riyadh. This is the largest crackdown in a decade by the religiously oppressive country," the ICC said.
CHRISTIANITY BANNED
Saudi officials were not immediately available for comment, but are known to have banned the profession of any religion other than Islam in the conservative kingdom. ICC said it believes the crackdown follows "allegations against the United States for desecrating the Qur’an at the Guantanamo Bay detention center."
It said that during the latest wave of arrests, Saudi authorities have been ransacking houses and destroying any Bibles found in the victims’ possession. "Last weekend ICC confirmed reports that 8 Christians were arrested and documents naming other area Christians were seized," it added.
Among those detained Saturday, May 28. 2005 was Chittirical John Thomas, an Indian national, who ICC said "was pulled from work in Riyadh by Saudi Muttawa authorities" and dragged to his home where he was "beaten in front of his maid and 5 year-old son."
BIBLES DESTROYED
The Muttawa gathered his Bible and all religious paraphernalia, and took 37 year-old Thomas to the Shemaissy Detention Center, ICC said. "Thomas’s wife, who is 5 months pregnant, has not heard from her husband since. In addition to John Thomas, 7 other Indian nationals were arrested in similar fashion and detained for their faith as Christians while they were asleep on Saturday night."
ICC identified some of the other arrested Indian Christians as Valiakalail Samuel Daniel, Koil Pillai Vijaykumar, Mutham Plackal Mathai Thomas, Pathivadathil James George, George Matthew, Biju Thomas, and Georgekutty Thomas. These arrests followed the detention of Samkutty Varghese’s detention outside of his bible study on March 22, 2005, the organization added. "Varghese possessed the names and numbers of other Christians attending the same fellowship group.
ICC has received credible reports that Varghese was sentenced to 10 months in prison along with numerous lashes." ICC stressed that what it called a "pogrom-like sweeping of the Christian minority in Saudi Arabia" is "a great disappointment" to the United States’ State Department, and shows "deficient resolve in enforcing sanctions on “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC).
US CRITICIZED
The US has allowed over 2 months after the initial deadline for implementing direct action against Saudi Arabia for the CPC status. "Now, they only have 10 days left to act under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998," which can imply sanctions. "The inaction of the world’s leader in promoting freedom is reprehensible, and risks breaching the line of irrelevance on matters of religious freedom and human rights," ICC argued.
"This latest crackdown on Christians is inexcusable and highlights the oppressive regime under which all religious minorities live and work in Saudi Arabia. The United States and the broader international community need to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for egregious violations of religious freedom."
Human rights watchdogs and Western diplomats have complained that although Saudi Arabia’s economy heavily depends on foreigners, expatriates are not allowed to profess their faith. There are around six million foreigners in the conservative country, which has a population of 23 million, including many Christians from Europe, North America, Asia and other Arab states, according to estimates. The ICC can be reached via website: http://www.persecution,org (With Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife Research and reports from Saudi Arabia and the United States)
