Sudan releases Czech Christian aid worker

Sudan had sentenced Petr Jasek to life in prison for espionage.

But in early February the Czech and Sudanese governments agreed that the Czech Foreign Minister would visit Sudan on February 26, and that Petr would then be released into his care and return to the Czech Republic with him, Middle East Concern reported.

It’s been a long but successful day! Petr Jašek, detained in Sudan since 2015, is at home. pic.twitter.com/qi32dloaVu

— Lubomír Zaorálek (@ZaoralekL) 27 de febrer de 2017

The other two Christians sentenced in this case, Rev. Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Mr Abdulmonem Abdumawla, were each sentenced to ten years for abetting Jasek in the crime of espionage, as well as one year each for inciting strife between communities and spreading rumours undermining the authority of the state (even though the legal maximum penalty for this last crime is six months in prison).

EVANGELICAL SCHOOL UNDER PRESSURE

Meanwhile, Morning Star News reported that police in Omdurman, Sudan arrested four Christians this week and accused them of destroying the sign board of a Muslim interest trying to take over their Christian school.

SPEC church building in Omdurman, Sudan. / Morning Star News

Police arrived at the Evangelical School of Sudan in Omdurman, across the Nile from Khartoum, on Monday (February 20) at the behest of a Muslim businessman who recently claimed ownership of the school property at a complex of the beleaguered Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC), church members said.

The Christians, including the Rev. Sidik Abdalla Anglo, a member of the SPEC Presbytery, spent the night in jail and were released on bail of 10,980 Sudanese Pounds (US$1,682) on Tuesday February 21.

“These accusations are false and baseless”, Anglo, a teacher of Christian education, told Morning Star News after his release. “We are glad that the accusations were false. Jesus said that those who follow him would face persecution.”