Blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam, found a new ray of hope after the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia intervened.
Twenty-seven Christians were arrested for organizing a prayer meeting in Saudi Arabia, where all other religious practices except Islam are prohibited.
The Commission for the Promotion and Prevention of Vice in Saudi Arabia orders the interior ministry to arrest several individuals on grounds of atheism and apostasy.
At the start of the holy month of Ramadan, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia condemned religious extremists, saying he would not allow a handful of radicals to terrify Muslims.
Saudi authorities warned it would oust non-Muslim foreigners who smoke, drink or eat in public a few days before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan was expected to begin.
A Saudi judge cited the influence of jinns to plead innocent when confronted with evidence that he had embezzled more than 600 million Saudi riyals of public funds.
