The Christians were not taken to any court of law during their nearly two weeks of jail and interrogation.

Authorities gave no reason for arresting the 13 Christians, except to say that they were all converts from Islam.

For the first time,Transparency International has also examined the relationship between corruption levels and the degree of freedom enjoyed by media and civil society groups.

Eyewitnesses said police confiscated chairs, tables and Bibles before the demolition. “These crazy actions will not stop us from praying and praising God”.

Twenty-six church leaders have appeared in court since last week for defending a Muslim business interest’s attempt to illegally seize the Evangelical School of Omdurman

One aim of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is that extremists no longer “tarnish our beloved religion”.

The officer who held them for eight hours has failed to show up. Sudan ranks fifth in the list of countries where Christians face most persecution.

Since 2012, Sudan has expelled foreign Christians and bulldozed dozens of church buildings on the pretext that they belonged to South Sudanese.

Other shipments of Bibles at Port Sudan have also been detained over the past two years. “It is difficult to get Bibles in the country”, a church leader says.

Besides raiding Christian bookstores and arresting Christians, authorities threatened to kill South Sudanese Christians who do not leave or cooperate with them.

A letter distributed on social media asks for the “attacks against the church” to stop. Twenty-five buildings are set to be demolished, but Christians in the country are “very resilient”, a source says.

Hassan Taour and Abdulmonem Abdumawla had been accused of espionage. Czech aid worker Petr Jasek received a presidential pardon in Februrary.

About 20 men arrived at the school with knives and other weapons and began to beat the women. Members of a nearby church tried to defend them. 

Dasaanach people in Ethiopia, Kenia and Sudan receive the film in their own language. Its first premiere (in English) was in 1979.

Petr Jasek has been allowed to return home after receiving “presidential pardon”. Meanwhile, Islamists put pressure on evangelical school near Khartoum. 

The government reportedly claimed the churches were built on land zoned for other uses, but Christian leaders said it is part of wider crack-down on Christianity.

Two other Christians, a pastor an a student were also sentenced to 12 years, on charges related to “espionage.”

“Compassion and security are not mutually exclusive”, Tim Breene, CEO of World Relief said. Meanwhile, Franklin Graham and other evangelical leaders support Trump.

More than 60% of the 176 countries analysed have serious corruption problems. This year, the index highlights the connection between corruption and inequality.

Three others (including Czech aid worker Petr Jasek) remain in jail. Attorneys are hopeful that they also will be released soon.  

More than 150 died last week in fight between President and Vice President rival armies. Sudanese Christians are being targeted.

The IOM informs that 206,400 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea the first 5 months of 2016. Only from May 25 to June 3, 1,457 are dead or missing.

“We can be the voice of those who cannot cry out by themselves”, the Director of Open Doors Spain says in an interview. “Nigeria is the country where most people have died because of their faith.”

A court in Sudan has freed pastors Yat Michael and Peter Yein Reith after acquitting them of charges that include spying and crimes against the state.

The students were charged of “committing an indecent act which violates public morality”, according to Sudanese law. Sudan’s government has increased persecution of Christians.