KHARTOUM, Sudan — The head of discipleship at a North Khartoum, Sudan, church has been arrested, sources said.
Agents of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) went to the home of Telahoon Nogose Kassa, 36, one night the second weekend of December 2015 and told him to report to their offices, sources said. When he went to a NISS office the following day officials arrested him and took him to a detention center in Khartoum, the sources said.
NISS officials gave no reason for the arrest, though they questioned him for five consecutive days about his relationship with a foreign missionary who had attended a discipleship class, sources said. They believe he was targeted for his Christian activities and his opposition to government interference with his church, Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church.
The church has fought a government takeover of its property. Kassa’s arrest comes four months after two South Sudanese pastors, Peter Yein Reith and Yat Michael, were released following eight months in prison on false charges of capital crimes because of their efforts to defend the church against the illegal sale of its property.
Since Kassa’s arrest in mid-December, only his parents have been allowed to visit him, and only once, in Kobar Prison. Authorities have prohibited church members from visiting him, sources said. There were no charges brought against him at the time of his arrest.
(MS)
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