Since 2011, Sudanese government has launched a heavy attack on freedom of religion in Sudan through prosecution; refer to Article 126 of Sudanese Criminal Act of 1991 on Apostasy, cases married to long detention and torture before presenting a person to court has been a recurring factor from 1968 to 2018. Since 1968, a total of 155 male and female Sudanese have been accused of apostasy, refer to the link on the website http://www.acjps.org/apostasy-punishment-in-sudan-1968-2018r/ – A Report on Apostasy Punishment in Sudan: 1968 -2018, as documented by African Center for Justice and Peace Studies.
Proselytism is a human rights violation as highlighted in Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. It states, ‘Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedom recognized and guaranteed in the present Charter without distinction of any kind such as race, ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and Social origin, fortune, birth or other status.’ In this regard,
On 13 October 2018, the National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) of Nyala, South of Darfur arrested 12 Christians from a home church located in Al Matar neighborhood of Nyala. They were taken to the NISS office of Nyala. Three of the 12 are from the Nuba tribe (Kawaleeb) of South Kordofan and were originally Christians. The three male victims were released after 2 hours.
The remaining 9 were detained for 5 days and while in detention, they were subjected to severe torture; they were beaten using water pipes, slapped, kicked and boxed. They were told they would be released on condition that they announce Islam as the authorities assumed that they were Muslims before. The 9 were Christians originally from Darfur region.
On 21 October 2018, 8 of them were released after they denounced Christianity and announced Islam. Before their release, they were charged with public disturbance under Article 77 of the Sudanese criminal Act of 1991. Their names are withheld with African Centre for justice and peace sturdies (ACJPS). Out of the 9, one who is a priest was charged with apostasy under Article 126 of the Sudanese Criminal Act of 1991 after he refused to announce Islam. He was released on bail on the 22 October 2018. As a result of the torture, four of them have severely been injured; they are unable to move and two are currently passing out blood from their private parts. They will be leaving Nyala for Khartoum for treatment.
ACJPS analyses that the political will of the ruling party (NCP) and their Political Islamic manifesto are motives behind the accusation of apostasy in Sudan, in the case of young Sudanese male who was charged with apostasy after submitted an application to change his religious status listed in the national identification, kindly refer to the link on ACJPS website http://www.acjps.org/update-apostasy-charges-levelled-after-request-to-change-state-identification-record/ , another case of 27 Muslims from Quranlist group also accused of apostasy as result of their way of practicing their prayers, for more information kindly see the link below : http://www.acjps.org/3695/
Recommendations:-
ACJPS calls upon the government of Sudan to drop all charges against the nine Victims. We further recommend urgent treatment and rehabilitation of the victims by the government of Sudan, that the above victims be compensated for damages and torture that they experienced. The government of Sudan should work towards the reform of the criminal penal code of Sudan and bring it in line with Sudan’s international law commitments to prohibit torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
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