NEW YORK /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) expressed grave concern for the safety of Pakistan’s Christian minority, after the brutal murder of a family by a Muslim mob. The grandfather was shot dead and the other six family members, including two children, died after their house was set on fire. More than 100 [...]]]> NEW YORK /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) expressed grave concern for the safety of Pakistan’s Christian minority, after the brutal murder of a family by a Muslim mob. The grandfather was shot dead and the other six family members, including two children, died after their house was set on fire. More than 100 Christian houses were burned or looted over the last three days.

“The Christian community in Pakistan is now more vulnerable than ever,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “There can be no excuse for the wanton, indiscriminate assault on this or any other minority group — and this is not the first time that Christians in Pakistan, a U.S. ally, have been targeted either.” Christians comprise about 5 percent of Pakistan’s population.

The unprovoked violence in the Punjab province began before the weekend after a rumor spread that a copy of the Koran had been defiled at a Christian wedding. Under Pakistan’s much-criticized blasphemy laws, desecration of the Koran can result in life imprisonment and even death for defiling the name of Mohammed, the prophet of the Islamic faith.

But, Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s federal minister for minorities, said the allegation that sparked the rampage was baseless, and that no desecration had taken place.

While hundreds of rioters have been detained, and the Pakistan government reportedly will offer compensation to the victims, Harris said, “It is time to heed the calls of many in Pakistan to repeal the blasphemy laws that may well have served to fuel this anti-Christian violence.”

On January 10, Woldu found a note on his van warning him [...]]]> The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org has learned that Hagos Woldu [name changed for security reasons], an expatriate Christian leader in Saudi Arabia, fled from the city of Riyadh on January 28 following threats he received from radical Muslims.

On January 10, Woldu found a note on his van warning him to leave Saudi Arabia or face the consequences. “They [the Islamic extremists] were not happy when I told them that Mohammed is not a prophet,” said Woldu in an interview he gave to ICC.

“People who covered their faces started to follow me. They blocked my van on three different occasions,” said Woldu. The pressures forced him to quit his job on January 15.

Woldu has been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 24 years and this is not the first time that he has been persecuted for his faith in Jesus Christ. In 2005, he and four other expatriates were detained by the Mutaween (Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice), an arm of the government that enforces religious purity. At the time, Woldu and the other four Christians were imprisoned due to their activities in an underground church group in the country. They were released one month later following pressure by Western diplomats.

“I have not stopped telling the truth by preaching the gospel. I preach the gospel to Muslims,” said Woldu in explaining why the extremists still want to force him to leave Saudi Arabia.

Woldu is not currently working, and he is unable to leave Saudi Arabia because he has not yet been able to secure a visa to a third country. It is also unsafe for Woldu to return to his own country due to the severe persecution Christians are facing there.

He told ICC that his biggest worry at this time is the safety of his wife and eight children, who are currently living in Cairo, Egypt. His family moved from Saudi Arabia to Egypt in 2007, but the UNHCR failed to give them refugee status. As the bread winner for the family, he is concerned about their current well-being.

“I don’t care if I am slaughtered for the sake of the Gospel, but what I am concerned about is my wife and eight children. Please contact UNHCR and ask them to give my family refugee status,” said Woldu in expressing his worries about family.

In a message to Christians, Woldu said, “Please contact embassies in Saudi Arabia and ask them to help me get out of the country, and, as a first priority, please help my family.”

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho, said, “We ask the officials of Saudi Arabia to protect the rights of Christians in the country to worship freely. It is hypocritical that Saudi Arabia promotes interfaith dialogue while failing to guarantee freedom of religion at home.”

Please pray for Woldu and his family at this difficult time in their lives.

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.