Forty Arrested for Praying

Several carloads of religious police surrounded a home in the Badeena neighbourhood of the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where forty Pakistani Christians had gathered for a weekly prayer meeting on April 22. Everyone present, including women and children, was detained.  All but the owner of the house, Saleem Sardar, and the preacher, identified as Emmanuel, were released that evening.  The two detained were released two days later.  Speaking to the press following the raid, Lt. Col. Saad al-Rashud, the investigating police officer, said that the church contained crosses, Christian literature and tapes.  He stated that the church was run by a Pakistani man who claimed to heal the sick, heard confessions, distributed communion, and held prayer meetings.

Inside a Mosque in Riyadh

Freedom of religion is not recognized in Saudi Arabia.  Officially, foreigners are allowed to worship in their own homes, as long as they do not proselytize. Raids such as this demonstrate that even that freedom is not always allowed. This raid took place just as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah was in the United States for meetings with President Bush.  According to VOM spokesman, Glenn Penner, this raid is clear evidence that hopes for a liberalization of Saudi human rights policy are premature. "Western leaders like US President Bush need to make crystal clear," says Penner, "that they view such actions as what happened in Badeena as unacceptable behaviour by a so-called friend in the Middle East.  Religious liberty is a fundamental human right and must be defended as such.  It must not be seen as negotiable."

Pray for the continued outreach of the Gospel into this very difficult and closed country of the world.  Pray for Christians in Saudi Arabia who endeavour to live their faith in the face of great danger.

For more information on the situation facing Christians in Saudi Arabia, click here.