Et 40-tall kristne fra Pakistan ble arrestert av det moralske politiet i Saudi-Arabia 24. april, skriver landets aviser.

Alle kristne symboler er forbudt i Saudi-Arabia, fra Bibler til kors.

Ifølge avisene hadde pakistanerne innrettet et bønnerom i en leilighet. Det spiller ingen rolle om det foregår bak hjemmets vegger: kristen religionsutøvelse er forbudt.

Da er det kanskje ikke så merkelig at avisene omtaler andakten i rommet nærmest som om det var noe perverst som var blitt avslørt:

The Saudi daily Al-Riyadh said that the detainees had set up a church in the apartment, equipped with crosses, pictures, and statues. Likewise, it was said that during their religious activity, one of them was found praying, as the others present repeated their words, and one of the women arrested was listing the people’s confessions and distributing writs of absolution. The Al-Riyadh report included a photo of the detainees and of a large cross and the group which was arrested.

A Saudi religious police source explained the reason for the arrest: «These people tried to spread the poison and their beliefs to others, by means of distributing pamphlets and [missionary] publications.» He said that all the detainees «had been transferred to the relevant bodies for investigation.»

40 Christians Arrested in Saudi Arabia for Religious Activity By Saudi Religious Police: ‘For Trying to Spread the Poison and their Beliefs’