Oct 28, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Fides News Agency is reporting on a new call by Christians in India for the release of Brian Savio O’Connor, a Catholic from India who is imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for the crime of “spreading Christianity,” which has earned him a 10-month sentence and 300 lashings.
The All India Catholic Union, operated by lay Catholics, and the All India Christian Council, which brings together Christians from different denominations, have sent a letter to the Saudi king and to the President of India calling for the release of O’Connor.
The leader of the two organizations, John Dayal, denounced Saudi police for torturing O’Connor during his retention and said he has been the victim of other false accusations such as the illegal sale of alcohol.
The letter states that “Indians go to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to get out of hopeless poverty and to improve their financial situation. Brian has no criminal history either in his country or abroad and we believe he has been detained only because of his religious convictions.”