FRENCH ARCHBISHOP CALLS FOR LIBERATION OF 40 PAKISTANIS ARRESTED IN SAUDI ARABIA (Lest We Forget)

The Tocqueville Connection ^ | 21 May 2005 | The Tocqueville Connection

[Cornpone]

MARSEILLE, France, (AFP) - The Archbishop of Marseille called Saturday for the liberation of 40 Pakistanis arrested recently in Saudi Arabia for celebrating a Catholic mass in a private house.

"Often it's manual labourers who don't have the right to practise their religion in Saudi Arabia," said Cardinal Bernard Panafieu during a press conference, adding that religious freedom is one of the human rights recognised by the Charter of the United Nations.

The Pakistanis were arrested on April 23 in the capital Riyadh by the Saudi religious police, the Muttawa, but news of their arrest only emerged on May 19, according to the archbishop.

Panafieu was speaking during a visit of the Iraqi Chaldean Church church leader, Archbishop Emmanuel Delley.

"Religious freedom doesn't exist in Muslim countries, except for Lebanon," Delley said.

[aposiopetic]

"Religious freedom doesn't exist in Muslim countries, except for Lebanon," Delley said.

He is certainly in a position to know.

[OpusatFR]

Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia,
601 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.,
Washington DC 20037

(202)342-3800

Information Office (202) 337-4076
email: info@saudiembassy.net

I'm sick of Jihadis. I'm really really tired of it.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

For once I agree with a Frenchman.

[ALPAPilot]

We should not have diplomatic relations with countries who imprison catholics for celebrating the mass. If I was in Bush's shoes, I'd call up the crown prince and tell him "freedom for the catholics or we take mecca, medina and dome of the rock.. . . .