Sudan releases pastor and activist sentenced for espionage

May 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Last week, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir pardoned a pastor and an activist sentenced together with a Czech missionary Petr Jasek who had already been released by the end of February.

The two men were sentenced to 12 years for colluding with the Czech filmmaker who had been condemned for espionage, waging war against the state and inciting hatred against religious congregations.

According to a statement released by Middle East Concern (MEC), Rev. Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Mr Abdulmonem Abdumawla are released on 11 May after a presidential pardon.

Their release comes about two months after a call by the European Union Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion, Jan Figel, to release them during a visit to Sudan on 19 March.

Sudan released Jasek on 26 February 2017, following a visit to Khartoum by the Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek.

The two had been arrested in December 2015 and sentenced were each sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, on 29th January 2017.

(ST)