Sudan (MNN) — In Sudan, four believers from a Muslim background escaped legal persecution earlier this month. Police arrested the men and accused them of apostasy, but a judge closed their case because lawmakers repealed the apostate law in 2020.
Today, Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says these believers are far from safe. “They have been publicly identified in Darfur as apostates, as Christians, so the danger exists even outside the courtroom,” he explains.
“They have gone into hiding because of threats from radical Muslims.”
Calls for revolution led to the removal of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Christians suffered severe persecution under Bashir’s rule. More about that here.
(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)
“After Bashir was overthrown, the attitude of Christians in Sudan [was] ‘right now we have an open window. We’re going to run as fast as we can to spread the Gospel, to strengthen the Church, while this window is open,’” Nettleton says.
The promise of civilian rule raised hopes for religious freedom. Then, a military coup last year changed everything. “As Christians look at who’s in charge of the country, it’s justified to wonder if that window is closing,” Nettleton says.
Pray for strength and endurance for Sudanese Christians. “Their (Sudanese Christians’) attitude is, ‘If the government is opening the door, that’s great. Let’s go,’” Nettleton says.
“‘If the government is pushing against us, we still are called to serve the Lord. We still have work to do.’”
Header and story images courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA.
