On 14th January 2025, at least seven Christians from the Sudanese Church of Christ were arrested and tortured by Sudanese intelligence agents in Shendi, located approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Khartoum.
These individuals, who had fled the military conflict in Khartoum, had sought refuge in areas controlled by the Sudan Armed Forces but were apprehended upon arriving in Shendi, in River Nile state.
According to the Sudanese Christian Youth Union, the arrests were made by personnel from Military Intelligence.
The Christian Post reported how the Christians were falsely accused of supporting the rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces and of receiving stolen money, both of which they denied.
The Youth Union stated that these accusations were fabricated as an excuse to detain the Christians, and a lawyer working on the case confirmed that they were tortured into providing false confessions.
Shinbago Mugaddam, an attorney following the case from exile, stated that the Christians were denied legal assistance and subjected to severe beatings and interrogations.
The trial, conducted under Article 174 of Sudan’s Criminal Code, did not meet the minimum standards of a fair trial, with the defendants being forced to plead guilty against their will.
Mugaddam described the trial conditions as deeply flawed: “They were arrested, beaten, interrogated, and tried on the same day without proper legal representation, and the court made no effort to ensure a fair process.”
The Union of Sudanese Christian Youth condemned the arrests, calling for the immediate release of the detained Christians.
They emphasised that the arrests were not only a violation of human rights but also of religious freedom.
In a statement issued on 21st January, the Youth Union called for intervention from international organisations to protect these individuals who were jailed without evidence.
These arrests follow a similar incident in October 2024, when 26 Christians were detained by Military Intelligence in Shendi after fleeing areas under RSF control in Khartoum.
The Sudanese government, which has been led by the military since the 2021 coup, has been accused of tightening control over intelligence operations.
In May 2024, Sudan's military-led government passed the General Intelligence Service Law, which grants sweeping powers to intelligence officers, including the ability to detain individuals and carry out searches without oversight.
This law also offers immunity from prosecution for acts committed by intelligence officers during the course of their duties.
Sudan was ranked No. 5 on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, marking a decline from No. 8 the previous year.