Kan vi få et forsvar for religionsfriheden, tak?

Siger ordet Mutawa dem noget?

Ikke?

Det er det Saudi-Arabiske religiøse politi, nok bedst (eller værst) kendt for deres indgriben i slukningsarbejdet på en pigeskole der stod i flammer i Mekka i 2002. Istedet for at hjælpe med til at redde pigerne fra at blive flammernes bytte sendte Muttawa´erne dem tilbage så de brændte ihjel. Human Rights Watch:

Yesterday's edition of Arab News (Jeddah) cited a report prepared by Mecca's Civil Defense Department about the rescue effort at the school. The report noted that mutawwa'in were at the school's main gate and, "intentionally obstructed the efforts to evacuate the girls. This resulted in the increased number of casualties." The religious police reportedly tried to block the entry of Civil Defense officers into the building. "We told them that the situation was dangerous and it was not the time to discuss religious issues, but they refused and started shouting at us," Arab News quoted Civil Defense officers as saying.

"Whenever the girls got out through the main gate, these people forced them to return via another. Instead of extending a helping hand for the rescue work, they were using their hands to beat us," Civil Defense officers were quoted as saying. The officers also said they saw three people beating girls who had evacuated the school without proper dress. A Saudi journalist told Human Rights Watch that the mutawwa'in at the scene also turned away parents and other residents who came to assist.

Nu er Mutawa´in så igang igen, selv om de dog denne gang "kun" har "forsvundet" otte kristne for at......bede! AsiaNews.it:

On May 28, the religious police raided a private prayer gathering of Protestant groups in the Batha area of the Saudi capital.

Later that day, at 8 pm, the police arrived at Mr Kumar’s home. They interrogated him and his wife Christy Vijay Kumar till 3 am and then took away all religious material found in the residence, the family computers and Mr Kumar himself.
...
His Saudi colleagues consider him a good person and are worried for his fate. And his employer has asked the police for information about his disappearance, thus far with little success.

In Saudi Arabia, freedom of expression is banned for all religions but Islam. Every public expression of other faiths (holding a Bible, wearing a cross or a rosary, praying) are outlawed.

The religious police, which has a reputation for being uncompromising and violent, remorselessly enforces the ban.

"Middelalder" dækker ikke engang her. "Barbari", måske, selv om jeg ikke er sikker på at selv barbarer opfører sig sådan. Men når det nu er ude af systemet, stil da dem selv følgende spørgsmål:

Hvad ville reaktionen være hvis PET arresterede otte muslimer for at bede i deres egne hjem?

Henrik