BOS NEWS LIFE: WASHINGTON, USA -- The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom fears Christian prisoners in Yemen, who have been jailed "for months without charge" will be executed while Baha'i detainees may be deported to Iran to face “imprisonment” and "torture."
"The Christians, who are converts from Islam, could face the death penalty if charged with apostasy," the Commission said in a statement monitored by BosNewsLife Tuesday, October 21. "Some of the Baha'i prisoners could be deported to Iran, where the Iranian government has imprisoned and tortured Baha'is in recent years."
The Commission quoted sources familiar with the cases as saying that the Baha'is and Christians "were detained for sharing" their faith. "Since May, at least nine Yemeni Christians, who are converts from Islam, have been arrested in [the areas of] Sana'a and Hodeida and remain in prison. According to the State Department, some of the Christians were arrested for "promoting Christianity and distributing the Bible," although no formal charges have been filed by Yemeni authorities," the Commission said.
The Yemeni government prohibits conversion from Islam and the proselytizing of Muslims. "Given that apostasy is a crime punishable by death in Yemen, there is credible fear about the well-being of those imprisoned," the Commission added. >>> | October 21, 2008
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