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Saudi Arabia

• Update: Blogger released

  Hamoud Bin Saleh (28), a Saudi Arabian Christian who was arrested in mid-January for writing about his conversion from Islam on his blog (read the story), was released on March 28, according to Middle East Concern. Saleh is reportedly forbidden to travel outside the country or appear in the media. In a recent post on his blog, Saleh attributed his release to several human rights groups that campaigned on his behalf.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Saudi Arabia,click here.

• Death threats lead Eritrean pastor to flee his home in Saudi Arabia

  On January 28, a well-known Eritrean pastor, Yemane Gebriel, fled Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after being threatened with death multiple times, according to a January 30 report from Compass Direct. Pastor Gebriel, who has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia as a private driver for 25 years, found a note on his van on January 10 that stated he would be killed if he did not leave the country. Three days later, Saudi officials forced him from his van and threatened to kill him if he did not flee. Gebriel was again accosted in his van two days later, this time by four masked men who threatened him with death. At last report, Gebriel was residing in an undisclosed city in Saudi Arabia.

  Pastor Gebriel previously came under fire for his faith in 2005, when religious police arrested him along with 16 other foreign Christian leaders. Due to diplomatic pressure, all of the believers were released within weeks.

  Pray that Pastor Gebriel will not be overcome by fear but remain triumphant in faithfulness (Revelation 2:10). Pray for safety and wisdom for him as he serves the Lord.

  For more information on persecution in Saudi Arabia, visit theSaudi Arabia Country Report.

• Christian blogger arrested

  On January 13, Saudi police arrested Hamoud Bin Saleh (28) and blocked access to his online blog, according to reports from The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information. Saleh had used his blog to express his opinion on religious issues and discuss his conversion from Islam to Christianity. Saleh was previously arrested for his faith in 2004 and imprisoned for nine months. He was also arrested and briefly detained in November 2008 and was released shortly before the Saudi-sponsored interfaith dialogue conference held November 12-13 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Sources believe officials released him to avoid tarnishing Saudi Arabia's image of religious tolerance, as at the conference King Abdullah spoke out against mankind's "preoccupation with differences between the followers of religions." At last report, Saleh was detained in the Eleisha political prison in Riyadh, the nation's capital.

  Pray for the release of Saleh. Pray for strength and protection for him in prison. Ask God to enable him to grow in Christlikeness through the opposition he faces for his faith (James 1:2-4).

  To learn more about those suffering for Christ in Saudi Arabia,click here.

• Saudi man kills sister for converting to Christianity

  According to VOMC partners, a young Saudi woman was recently killed by her brother after he discovered that she had converted to Christianity. The brother, who is a religious police member of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, cut out his sister's tongue and burned her to death following a heated debate about religion. In an online blog entry written a few days before her death, the woman mentioned how her family had begun to suspect her religious beliefs. Her brother is reportedly being investigated for an honour related crime, which carries a significantly lesser sentence than murder.

  Pray for the family of this young woman and ask God to work in their lives. Pray also for the other Christians in Saudi Arabia; pray that their passion for Christ will be the light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16).

  For more information on persecution in Saudi Arabia,click here.

• African Believers Deported

  In June, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of four African believers after police raided a worship gathering in a home in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (click here for more details). Mekbeb Telahun and Masai Wendewesen from Ethiopia and Fekre Gebremedhin and Dawit Uqbay from Eritrea were held in the Jeddah Terhil (Deportation) Center until their deportation in mid-July. According to an August 25 report from Compass Direct, the four were inundated with questions about Christianity from their fellow prisoners. "They would wake us up from our bed at night to ask us questions," Wendewesen told Compass. "We didn’t think about the pain, we just preached the gospel."

• Four African Christians Arrested in Raid

  On June 9, ten Saudi police officers armed with wooden clubs raided a private worship gathering in Jeddah, according to a June 15 report from Compass Direct. More than 100 foreign Christians had gathered in a home for worship when the police officers entered. The Christians invited the police to be seated and the officers waited until the end of the three-hour service before arresting the four leaders: Mekbeb Telahun and Masai Wendewesen from Ethiopia and Fekre Gebremedhin and Dawit Uqbay from Eritrea. The four are now being held in the Jeddah Terhil (Deportation) Center.

  Typically, Christians arrested in Saudi Arabia for holding private worship services are deported to their countries of origin. However, they are sometimes detained for several days or weeks in wretched conditions before being allowed to leave the country. A Christian who has spoken to the men by telephone reports that they are doing well, but did not know if they were being interrogated or mistreated.

  Members of the Saudi royal family have insisted that Christians are free to worship within their own homes. All public worship, other than Islamic, is strictly prohibited.

  Pray that, like Paul, the imprisonment of these men will result in the advancement of God's kingdom (Philippians 1:12). Pray that they will be enabled to rejoice in all that is happening, knowing that Christ will be glorified and that theirs is the kingdom of heaven  (1 Peter 4:12-13, Matthew 5:10).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Saudi Arabia,click here. See Glenn Penner's weblog on whether Saudi Arabia can really be expected to be an ally in stopping Islamist terrorism.

• Teacher Sentenced for Discussing the Bible

  A public school teacher has been sentenced to forty months in prison and 750 lashes for "mocking religion" after he discussed the Bible and allegedly praised Jews.  The Al-Madina newspaper reported on November 13 that Mohammad al-Harbi was taken to court by his colleagues and students where he was accused of, and charged with, promoting a "dubious ideology, mocking religion, saying the Jews were right, discussing the Gospel and preventing students from leaving class to wash for prayer."  Al-Harbi intends to appeal the verdict.

  This is one of the many incidents of blatant disregard for any religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.  The U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom has called Saudi Arabia with world's worst violator of religious liberties.  The country's laws forbid the public practice of any religion other than the strict Wahhabi form of Islam. Included in this week's weblog is a guest editorial by Dennis Prager, entitled, "Five Questions Non-Muslims Would Like Answered." To read his editorial, click here.

  Pray that Al-Harbi’s appeal will be successful. Thank God for the courage demonstrated by this teacher. Pray that God will work miraculously to bring about freedom of belief and expression in Saudi Arabia. Pray that the Holy Spirit will penetrate the hearts of people in Saudi Arabia and that they will turn to Him regardless of extreme pressure to acquiesce to the one accepted religion.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Saudi Arabia,click here.

  (Source: The Washington Times)

• Update: East Africans Released From Prison and Allowed to Retain Jobs

  On April 29, three Ethiopians and two Eritreans were arrested when Saudi police raided their house church meeting (click here for details).  Three weeks after their May 30 release, the five report that they have been allowed to return to their jobs in the Saudi Arabian capital and that they suffered no ill treatment during their month long incarceration. A friend of the men told Compass Direct on Monday, June 20, "It's a miracle. It’s not normal here for them to be released like this and allowed to go back to their jobs. They didn't have to notify their sponsors or anything, and they are all back at work." Saudi Arabia routinely deports foreign Christians caught meeting in their homes for worship, requiring their employers to terminate their work and residence visas.

  For more information on the difficulties being faced by Christians in Saudi Arabia,click here.

• Update: Arrests in Saudi Arabia

  Five Christians arrested in Saudi Arabia three weeks ago (click here for details) are being denied access to visitors.  According to a May 16 report from Compass Direct, a friend who attempted to visit was told that the three Ethiopians and two Eritreans being held in a prison in Riyadh would not be allowed visitors in for the first month.

• House Church Raided

  One week after a prayer meeting in Riyadh was raided and forty Christians arrested, a second house church meeting was broken up by the muttawa (religious police) on April 29 and five leaders taken into custody.  According to a May 4 report from Compass Direct, sixty Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians had gathered together for prayer when the muttawa, together with high-ranking Muslim sheikhs, burst into the meeting, confiscating forty Bibles and a cross necklace before warning them to never meet there for prayer again.  Those detained have been identified as Yemane Gebre Loul, Gazai Zarom, Msfen Tekle, Yonas Tekle, and Teklu Mola.  For the first few days, they were allowed telephone contact with their families and one man's wife was permitted to visit.  However, on March 3, they were reportedly transferred to prison facilities of the Ministry of the Interior.  There has been no communication with the prisoners since.

  Pray for safety for those arrested, as well as that of their families.  Pray that these men will be released from prison.  Pray that they will be able to share their faith, through their words and actions, while in prison.

  For more information the persecution of Christians in Saudi Arabia,click here.