ICC NOTE: Christian Sudanese pastors have finally been given court dates after sitting in limbo for the past eight months. Sudan has been notorious for arresting, detaining, and imprisoning Christian pastors for no reason other than for their faith as the typical charge laid on them has been “crimes against the state”. Nations like Sudan, China, North Korea, and Iran use this tactic in order to ensure an arrest and potential imprisonment due to the broad language within such a charge. Sudan is listed as the 8th worst country for Christians to live in. 

8/8/2016 Sudan (World Watch Monitor) – After nearly eight months of legal limbo, a Sudanese court has finally seen three detained Christian leaders, while charges against them remain officially “unknown”.

Hassan Abduraheem Taour and Kuwa Shamal, both Sudan Church of Christ (SCC) pastors, and Darfuri convert Abdulmonem Abdumawla Issa Abdumawla, appeared at the Bahri Criminal Court for a pro-forma hearing after the prosecutor sent their case on 4 August, said Middle East Concern (MEC).

The date for the next hearing is 14 August; earlier the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) indicated they will be prosecuted for “crimes against the state”.

 “Their diet was poor and their health has suffered”

On 10 May, the NISS released another Evangelical church leader after nearly half a year in detention. Despite release, the file of Telahoon (Telal) Nogosi Rata, 36, remains with the Attorney General, who could yet decide to press charges.

A number of other Christian leaders face restrictions, including Ayub Tilyab, Yagoub Naway (both also SCC pastors), Philemon Hassan, and Yamani Abraha of Khartoum El Izba Baptist Church – all have been alternately arrested, released, and then made subject to daily NISS reporting.

Meanwhile, authorities on 1 August notified three churches of demolition within 72 hours

The churches, including the Baptist Church and the SCC in the Hajj Yousef area of Khartoum “are resisting the scheduled demolition through the courts,” reported MEC. (Both these two denominations have been meeting in the area since the early 1990s).

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