Ethiopian Christians Remain Imprisoned
ICC Note
It has six months since the Saudi Arabian officials arrested 35 Ethiopian Christians for praying at a private home. The Christians have been facing mistreatment at the hands of Saudi security officials.
06/12/2012 Saudi Arabia (One News One)-A group of Ethiopian Christians remain imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, facing what International Christian Concern (ICC) considers to be unjust treatment, according to a spokesman from the organization.
Thirty-five Ethiopian Christians were arrested on December 15 last year while holding a prayer meeting in a home. Jonathan Racho with ICC comments on the situation.
“It’s now almost six months since they were arrested, and they are still imprisoned,” he tells OneNewsNow. “Unfortunately, there has not been any criminal charge brought against them. They were not taken to court.”
Their only crime, he explains, was conducting a prayer meeting because Christianity is not permitted in Saudi Arabia.
“Now the Saudis are accusing them of engaging in other crimes,” Racho adds. “For example, they’re saying that they were engaged in some kind of human trafficking, but there is no evidence. They have not been taken to court. The Saudis also say that the Christians are living in the country illegally.”
Some of them are living in the country illegally, but ICC has discovered documents showing others do have legal status. Racho says: “The Saudis are lying and deceiving the international community.”
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