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150,000 People
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CRACKDOWN ON CHRISTIANS INTENSIFIES IN OSAMA BIN LADEN'S
HOME COUNTRY OF SAUDI ARABIA October 3 2001 A FURTHER six Christian men have been arrested in the
coastal city of Jiddah, Saudi Arabia as the crackdown on believers in the city
escalates. Four Ethiopians, an Eritrean and a Filipino were detained by the
Saudi Arabian authorities between August 21 and September 4. This brings the
total number of arrests of Christians in Jiddah this summer to 15 according to
reports from human rights agency Middle East Concern. CSW believes one reason
for the continued arrests of ex-pat believers in the city is an attempt to track
down Saudis who have Christian sympathies. Of the fifteen, two have been released - Tishome, one
of the Ethiopians, and Wilfredo Caliuag, who was deported to the Philippines on
August 9, having spent two days in a coma in a Jiddah Hospital as a direct
result of the appalling conditions in which he was held. The remaining 13 have
been denied consular access, although some of the men have been permitted to see
their families. Prabhu Isaac, arrested on July 19 , has now been held for over
10 weeks and sources report that the Indian consulate has never been officially
notified of his arrest. According to reliable reports, CSW believes that all
those detained are being held solely in connection with their Christian faith.
Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of CSW, said: "Recent international events
have led to a global call for the eradication of radical Islamic terrorism. At
the same time, intolerance against peace-loving Christians quietly continues in
Islamic regimes and must also be stamped out." CSW appeals for tolerance in calling for the
immediate release of these men, whom we believe to be prisoners of conscience.
According to Saudi law, its citizens must be Muslim, but officials have said
that ex-patriate non-Muslims are free to worship in private. CSW urges the
rulers of Saudi Arabia to protect the freedom of non-Sunni Muslims to worship in
private. For further information please contact Richard Chilvers on 020 8949 0587 or 020 8942 8810. CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE |
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