Christian anti-persecution charity International Christian Concern (ICC) has reported that Sudanese intelligence officials have arrested a Christian church leader.
Sudan:
Main religion: Islam
Legal system: Sharia Law
Population: 40,235,000 (2015 estimate)
President: Omar al-Bashir
Revd Kuwa Shamal of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC) was taken earlier in the week after reporting to the National Intelligence Security Service (NISS) for interrogation.
Revd Kuwa Shamal was originally arrested in December 2015 alongside SCOC pastor Revd Hassan Abduraheem Taour.
International Christian Concern has also said that Christian convert, Abdulmonen Abdumwala Issa Abdumwala, was also arrested in December 2015.
They were released the same month, however Revd Taour remains in custody awaiting charges that carry the death penalty.
His attorney told ICC that both men likely face charges including espionage, undermining the constitutional system, and inciting religious hatred.
Revd Shamal has been reporting to the intelligence services everyday and is waiting to hear if he will face criminal charges that may carry the death penalty.
The attorney told ICC the case is "fake".
ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, Troy Augustine, said: "ICC grieves with the news that Sudan continues to persecute the Christian Church in the country with these incessant arrests that amount to human rights violations.
"Sudan exists under such a hypocritical and contradictory legal framework that they show themselves to be the pariah of the international community.
"ICC calls for the immediate release of pastors Taour and Shamal and demands that Sudan cease and desist their unfounded and arbitrary arrests of Christian converts and pastors.
"We call on everyone concerned to continue to pray and join us in demanding justice for Kuwa and Hassan."
