Sudanese Church Leaders Demand Release of Detained Christians Amid Rising Persecution - Faith & Freedom News

In a strongly worded appeal, church leaders have urged the immediate release of dozens of Sudanese Christians detained by security forces linked to the official military.

Authorities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have reportedly taken 26 Christians into custody since January. At least 19 were detained in Madani during January and February, while seven others were arrested on January 21 as they traveled from Barakat to Madani—heading to a thanksgiving prayer meeting organized by the Inter-Church Committee. Attorney Shinbago Mugaddam revealed that the detainees, all affiliated with the Sudan Council of Churches, were initially held in the Joint Military Cell on Nile Avenue in Madani. There, they underwent extensive interrogations for a week before being transferred to Madani Prison. Among the seven arrested on January 21 were church members Akech Otin, Abraham John, Patrice Saeed, Peter Makuei, Rani Andraws, Ammanuel, and James.

Accusations and Broader Concerns

The detained Christians have been accused of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a charge that church leaders and human rights advocates dispute. The incident underscores the broader persecution of Christians in Sudan—a country where Christians constitute roughly four percent of a predominantly Sunni Muslim population of 50 million.

According to reports from Christian advocacy group Open Doors, more than 100 churches, Christian properties, and private homes have been forcibly occupied amid the country’s ongoing conflict between the SAF and RSF. Open Doors also highlighted a concerning spike in abductions and killings of Christian men by radical Islamic groups. Despite the abolition of the apostasy law in 2020, church leaders remain vulnerable to false charges such as terrorism and apostasy, while converts from Islam continue to endure violence, forced marriages, and other human rights abuses.

Humanitarian Impact

Beyond the immediate threat of detention, many Sudanese Christians are suffering amid a severe hunger crisis. Discrimination by local communities has left many without essential support, intensifying the hardships faced by a community already ranking 5th on the annual World Watch List for religious persecution.