WASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) -- A 70-year-old Indian pastor has been beaten and abused while serving 20 days in prison for false accusations of bribing Hindus to convert.

According to ICC (International Christian Concern) -- www.persecution.org -- Pastor Captain Samuel has worked in the small village of Bashi Nagar in Jammu, India for 20 years and leads a church with 350 members.

ICC says he first started to experience opposition to his ministry four months ago when, in two separate instances, a group of radical Hindus accosted Samuel, hitting him more than 15 times on the head and threatening him with a knife and gun. Unsatisfied with the results of their attacks, the radical Hindus started pressuring the local police to take action against Samuel.

As a result, ICC says, the police detained Samuel on April 2, but released him the same day. On April 8, however, the police returned to Samuel's home at the instigation of radical Hindus, arrested him and dragged him through the street to the local court, saying he was a terrorist.

ICC says three false witnesses testified that they were paid money to become Christians. The court remanded Samuel's case to the local police, who put him in prison for 20 days.

In a media release, ICC explains: "There the police tortured the elderly pastor. His head was completely shaved; he was kept in a dirty cell without a toilet; and he was forced to wash all the bathrooms and sweep all the rooms in the prison. In addition, police officers beat him repeatedly."

ICC goes on to say that Samuel was released from prison after posting bail of Rs. 20,000 ($420), but must be present in court on May 25. The police also ordered him to stop all his mission work in Jammu.

Please contact the Indian embassy in your country to ask that Pastor Samuel be cleared of the charges against him.

Indian Embassies:
USA: (202) 939-7000 [Phone] (202) 265-4351 [Fax]
Canada: (613) 744-3751 [Phone] hicomind@hciottawa.ca
UK: 020 7836 8484 [Phone] att.pni@hcilondon.in