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Saudi Arabia

  • Christians Face Imminent Deportation

    Two Christians face imminent deportation from Saudi Arabia because of their Christian work, according to a May 6 report from Middle East Concern. Both men are from the Ethiopian/Eritrean church in Jeddah. Endashaw Adane Yizengaw, the pastor of the church, had his residency permit revoked and was arrested on April 26 or 27. His deportation to Ethiopia is expected before the end of this week. The other man, Girmaye, was from Eritrea and was arrested in mid-March. Though his residency permit had expired two years ago, he had been detained and released several times. His deportation order came only three weeks after he began working at the church. Members of the church report that they have been questioned and threatened by the authorities, making them fearful of meeting together.

    Pray that the church will stand firm in the Lord. Pray for the peace of God to rule over His Church throughout Saudi Arabia. Pray that there will not be the extended detention for these two men that others have faced in recent years.
  • Churches Not Allowed

    Saudi Arabia, as the birthplace of Islam, will not allow churches to be built on its land, said the Defense Minister, Prince Sultan to reporters on March 8. According to a March 10 AP report, Sultan said that foreigners are allowed to worship freely in their homes, but churches would not be permitted, since it would affect Islam. Calling those who want churches "fanatics," Sultan told reporters, "We are not against religions at all... but there are no churches - not in the past, the present or future."

    Saudi Arabia is well known for forbidding any religion other than Islam. Despite assurances from Sultan, foreigners have been arrested and deported for worshipping in their homes and Christians face imprisonment, torture, and death.

    Last week the P+P Alert reported that Saudi Arabia was to be left off the US State Department's list of "countries of particular concern" as religious rights violators. While he would not comment directly on Sultan's comments, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that they are seeking opportunities to work with Saudi Arabia to improve the state of religious freedom. Other countries left off the list were India, Laos, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam, even though the US Commission on International Religious Freedom strongly recommended that they be labeled as "countries of particular concern."

    Pray for Christians in Saudi Arabia, that they may stand firm in the face of constant danger. Pray that world leaders will see religious freedom as a fundamental human right that must be upheld by all countries regardless of political allegiances.
  • Saudi Arabia Not Viewed as Major Violator of Religious Rights by the USA

    Saudi Arabia will not be on the US State Department's list of the worst violators of religious freedom when Secretary of State Colin Powell releases the annual list of nations subject to diplomatic action for "systematic, ongoing and egregious" violations of religious freedom. According to a department official speaking to WorldNetDaily, Saudi Arabia will not be listed as a "nation of particular concern," despite the undisputed evidence of religious rights violations in the country. In its 2002 report, the State department acknowledges, "Freedom of religion does not exist in Saudi Arabia. The Government requires all citizens to be Muslim and prohibits all public manifestations of non-Muslim religions." The report acknowledges many instances of oppression against any who are not Sunni Muslims, and yet the US has consistently omitted this strategic ally as a nation of particular concern.

    According to Freedom House, placing Saudi Arabia on this list would not require specific diplomatic actions by the US, since the policies surrounding it are very broad. However, critics believe that the US is concerned about retaining Saudi support in the Middle East. According to an article to be released in the March 10 edition of Newsweek, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) considers Saudi Arabia as probably the worst oppressor of religious rights in the world. However, the article notes that senior US officials have concluded that publicly chastising the Saudis could interfere with broader US interests in the region, which may include a recent decision by Saudi Arabia to allow the Riyadh airbase to be used for an imminent attack on Iraq.

    Christians in Saudi Arabia face constant danger. The Persecution and Prayer Alert has regularly covered instances where Christians have been held, tortured, killed and expelled from the country, often without charge, because of their religious beliefs and practices.

    Pray for Christians in Saudi Arabia who face this extreme oppression on a daily basis. Pray that countries around the world, including the US, will place pressure on the Saudi government to stop the systematic oppression and torture of Christians.

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