NORTH KHARTOUM, South Sudan — Security officials arrested two Sudanese pastors in the Khartoum area of Sudan on Dec. 18, 2015, sources said.
Authorities from the National Intelligence and Security Services arrested both leaders of the Sudan Church of Christ (SCOC) separately at their respective homes at 7 a.m., the sources said. Kowa Shamaal, head of missions at SCOC, was arrested at his house in Hai Thiba Al Hamyida, in Khartoum Bahry (North Khartoum), while Hassan Abdelrahim, SCOC vice moderator, was arrested at his home in Ombada block 43 in Omdurman.
Family members and church officials have been given no reason for the arrest of the pastors, who have objected to government demolition of SCOC worship buildings. Their whereabouts also were unknown at press time.
“We have not gotten any information on why our pastors were detained and their families also have not been informed,” an SCOC official said.
Ethnic Nuba, along with Christians, face discrimination in Sudan, where President Omar al-Bashir has vowed to adopt a stricter version of “sharia,” or Islamic law, and recognize only Islamic culture and the Arabic language.
(MS)
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