Since mid-December Sudan has been detaining three Sudanese Christians.
Abdulmonem Abdumawla Issa Abdumawla was detained on 17th December, 2015. The next day two pastors from the Sudan Church of Christ were detained, Kuwa Shamal Abazmam Kurri and Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour. Kuwa Shamal was released after three days but re-arrested on 24th May.
They were detained and investigated by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). In mid-May their case was handed to the General Prosecutor’s office.
On 4th August, 2016 the prosecutor sent their case to the court and the detainees appeared at the Bahri Criminal Court for a pro-forma hearing. The date for the next hearing was set for 14th August 2016. The official charges are not yet known but earlier the NISS had indicated they will be prosecuted for crimes against the state.
On 1st August, 2016 the authorities informed church leaders of the scheduled demolition within 72 hours of three churches in the Hajj Yousef area of Khartoum, belonging to the Baptist Church and the Sudan Church of Christ. The churches are resisting the scheduled demolition through the courts and at the time of writing none of the churches has been demolished.
MAY BE CIRCULATED TO GENERAL MAILING LISTS AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS, AND QUOTED FROM FREELY IN REPORTS CITING “MIDDLE EAST CONCERN” AS THE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION.
Prayer points
Sudanese Christians ask for prayer:
a. that the detained church leaders will know the Lord’s strength, comfort and wisdom during their ordeal
b. for a fair judicial process, and that they will be acquitted of all charges
c. that other church leaders will know the Lord’s peace in the face of the increasing pressure against churches and that the scheduled church demolitions will be prevented
d. that all officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him
