Sudan jails six Christians and plans to demolish five churches
Three church leaders and another three church members were detained by Sudanese authorities for refusing to turn over a church-run school to the government. Five other churches were notified that their church buildings are set to be demolished.
The arrested Christians are from the Evangelical Church in Wad Medani, World Watch Monitor (WWM) reports. Three of the churches that received notifications belong to the Sudan Church of Christ (SCOC). One church is Presbyterian while the other is part of the Episcopalian Church.
An unnamed source told WWM that the six arrested Christians were released on bail that same day but it is unknown whether there will be further legal actions. The date for the demolition of the churches is also unknown. Authorities reportedly told the church leaders that their lands have been "assigned for investment."
Sudan Democracy First Group (SDFG) notes the diminishing religious freedoms in the country since the National Islamic Front took power in 1989.
A clear example is the case of pastors Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Kuwa Shamal, who are currently on trial for "crimes against the state" along with Abdulmonem Abumawla and Czech aid worker, Petr Jasek. The four accused could be sentenced to death if found guilty.
The four men have been held between December 2015 and August 2016. Their case has been brought to the attention of the European Parliament through a resolution signed by several members last week.
The resolution noted that the four men are facing charges for highlighting the suffering of other Christians in war-torn areas of Sudan. It called for the unconditional and immediate release of the civil society activists detained by Sudanese authorities.
It also urged Sudan and African Union to abolish the death penalty and uphold religious freedom.
Last month, the bishop of Kadugli Diocese, Rev. Andudu Adam Elnail, called on the U.S. government and the U.N. to intervene in the case of Taour and Shamal. Elnail himself fled from Sudan when the authorities burned down his property for refusing to endorse Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
"The government is not interested in the Christian religion. There is no freedom for us, we cannot build churches, we are treated as second-class citizens," said Elnail. "We need the international community to pressure the government of Sudan to give us our freedom of religion," he added.
