Source: www.persecution.org
Date: July 14, 2022
Sudan (International Christian Concern) — Four Christians were recently arrested under an anti-apostasy law that was repealed two years ago. Bader el Dean Haroon Abdel Jabaar, his brother Mohammad Haroon Abdel Jabaar, Tariq Adam Abdalla, and Morthada Ismail were arrested from the Sudanese Baptist Church in western Sudan on June 22 and 28.
In the June 22 incident, they were released the same day. However, when they were arrested on June 28, they were detained until their eventual release on bail on July 5. Sudan’s anti-apostasy law was repealed in 2019 after Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir was ousted in a 2019 coup. Unfortunately, another coup occurred in November of 2021, putting many of the reforms from the transitional government, including the repeal of the anti-apostasy law, in danger. Even if these Christians stay out of prison, they still face death threats and rejection from the area around them.
In May of this year, a young couple was sentenced to flogging after converting to Christianity.
After regularly being included among the worst countries in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, Sudan was removed from the U.S. State Department’s list of “countries of particular concern” in December 2019. The “CPC” list designates nations that tolerate or engage in egregious violations of religious freedom.
However, advances in religious freedom lasted for only two years in Sudan until a military coup last October.
The coup brought back fears of repression and harsh implementation of Islamic law, as an Islamist “deep state” rooted in former President al-Bashir’s 30 years of power remains influential.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for protection for these believers in light of their charges. Praise God that they were eventually released. Pray for the release of other Christians imprisoned under apostasy laws.