2.3.4 Sudan government intervenes in Christians’ worship
The arrested church’s leaders
The supporters at the court yard
On 22nd October 2017, Public Order Police arrested five Christian leaders from Christ
Church in Elthawra of Omdurman. This incident (arrest) came after the police had
forcefully obstructed church members from worshiping.
Since 27th May 2017, there was an agreement between the executive committee and
the opposing group in the Christ church on the manner in which worship time was
constituted for each. The executive committee is the elected committee by the church’s
followers while the opposition group is associated to the ministry of religious affairs
which consists of five pastors with other followers.
On Sunday 22th October 2017, church members gathered for prayers at Christ church
in Althawra (29) at the agreed time but they were locked outside by the police. The
police blocked them on grounds that, there was a resolution issued by the Ministry of
Endowment and Guidance (appendix – 6) rejecting the agreement and ordering
members of this church to worship under the nominated pastor by opposing group. The
church members together with their pastors remained on the church yard up to the time
when the opposing group came and opened the church. Then, the two groups entered
the church and worshipped separately. At 1:00 PM, soon after prayers, a police officer
from Althawra police station ordered five church leaders including executive committee
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