BY SUCCESS KANAYO UCHIME
It has been reported that two Indian Christians, Vasantha Sekhar and Nese Yohan working in Saudi Arabia have been arrested in Batha, Riyadh, and sentenced to 45 days in prison.
This indication is contained in a report by the Advocacy Officer, International Christian Concern (ICC) (www.persecution.org) Logan Maurer adding that on March 11, 2010, at 8:30 PM local time, Vasantha Sekhar and Nese Yohan were arrested and beaten.
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India
He noted that they were accused of proselytizing. ICC contacts in Saudi Arabia believe they were arrested to keep them from practicing Christianity privately in their home.
He said that while in prison awaiting trial, their apartment was ransacked and that they face uncertainty regarding their future. An employer has returned the passport of one of the Christians, making it clear that his job is no longer available, and he will be expelled. The other Christian awaits information regarding his legal status and job.
Maurer noted that Saudi Arabia has a long history of quietly cracking down on Christians and that in 2004, 28 Indian workers were arrested in Messriam for practicing Christianity.
According to him, the charges were dropped, but in 2010 they were brought up again. One was deported, and one has been arrested. In another case, 16 Indian workers were arrested in February 2008, and then released after three days. In 2010, eight left the country of their own accord and three of the remaining eight were issued deportation orders and expelled.
“These two Christians have faced false charges and false evidence. The Saudi government continues to engage in an array of severe violations of human rights as part of its repression of freedom of religion,” Logan Maurer stated.
He continued: “Please contact Saudi Arabia officials and politely ask them to release and not expel vulnerable religious communities of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia Embassies: United States: (202) 342-3800
UK: (+44-20)79173000 Canada: (+1-613) 2374100.”
For more articles from this writer, click here: http://www.allvoices.com/users/success4u
It has been reported that two Indian Christians, Vasantha Sekhar and Nese Yohan working in Saudi Arabia have been arrested in Batha, Riyadh, and sentenced to 45 days in prison.
This indication is contained in a report by the Advocacy Officer, International Christian Concern (ICC) (www.persecution.org) Logan Maurer adding that on March 11, 2010, at 8:30 PM local time, Vasantha Sekhar and Nese Yohan were arrested and beaten.
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India
He noted that they were accused of proselytizing. ICC contacts in Saudi Arabia believe they were arrested to keep them from practicing Christianity privately in their home.
He said that while in prison awaiting trial, their apartment was ransacked and that they face uncertainty regarding their future. An employer has returned the passport of one of the Christians, making it clear that his job is no longer available, and he will be expelled. The other Christian awaits information regarding his legal status and job.
Maurer noted that Saudi Arabia has a long history of quietly cracking down on Christians and that in 2004, 28 Indian workers were arrested in Messriam for practicing Christianity.
According to him, the charges were dropped, but in 2010 they were brought up again. One was deported, and one has been arrested. In another case, 16 Indian workers were arrested in February 2008, and then released after three days. In 2010, eight left the country of their own accord and three of the remaining eight were issued deportation orders and expelled.
“These two Christians have faced false charges and false evidence. The Saudi government continues to engage in an array of severe violations of human rights as part of its repression of freedom of religion,” Logan Maurer stated.
He continued: “Please contact Saudi Arabia officials and politely ask them to release and not expel vulnerable religious communities of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia Embassies: United States: (202) 342-3800
UK: (+44-20)79173000 Canada: (+1-613) 2374100.”
For more articles from this writer, click here: http://www.allvoices.com/users/success4u
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