America's congressionally approved watchdog for global religious liberty has called on Saudi Arabia to release 35 Ethiopian Christians arrested during a prayer meeting and imprisoned for nearly two months.
 

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Saudi police raided a private home in Jeddah Dec. 15 and arrested the 29 women and six men gathered to pray, according to International Christian Concern reported.

There have been reports that the Christians -- some who have lived in Saudi Arabia for as many as 16 years -- will be deported to Ethiopia. In a Feb. 7 phone interview, some of the prisoners told ICC they had not been informed they would be released, according to the organization, which aids persecuted Christians overseas.

The bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom urged the Ethiopians' release. "Unless and until the Saudi government demonstrates some valid legal basis for imprisoning these individuals, they should immediately be set free and Saudi authorities should investigate allegations of physical abuse and degrading treatment by prison officials," USCIRF Chairman Leonard Leo said in a Feb. 2 written statement.

Saudi authorities have charged the Ethiopians with "mixing with the opposite sex," Christian leaders told International Christian Concern. Saudi Arabian law prohibits males and females who are not members of the same family from being in the same room, ICC reported.

Source: Baptist Press | Tom Strode