Photo: Anadolu Agency
Angry Muslims in Sudan have staged a protest in the capital Khartoum against a new set of laws that have among others made conversion from Islam to Christianity no longer punishable by death in the country.
As earlier reported by Uganda Christian News, Sudan’s transitional government repealed various Islamic legal restrictions introduced while Bashir was in power, including the outlaw of apostasy and restrictions on women’s dress.
“We canceled the Article 126 of the Sudanese Criminal Law and have ensured religious freedom and the equality in citizenship and rule of law,” Sudanese Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari said earlier this month.
The article reads: “Whoever is guilty of apostasy is invited to repent over a period to be determined by the tribunal. If he persists in his apostasy and was not recently converted to Islam, he will be put to death.”
According to Patheos, the anti-government protests erupted from numerous mosques on July 17, 2020.
The protestors encouraged people to bring down the administration of incumbent Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok.
“Sharia, sharia or we die … this is Khartoum not New York,” the protestors chanted. “No to secularism.”
Sudan’s amended laws seek to uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens. They also pave way for non-Muslims to drink alcohol and contend against public flogging as a criminal punishment.
Ahmed Brair, 23, told Anadolu Agency that he joined the demonstrations to stop what he describes as the “apostasy government.”
“We’re ready for jihad to defend Islam,” Ahmed said as he chanted “Nasur Aldin is an enemy of Allah” referring to the minister of justice who spearheaded the new laws.
“We’re women but we don’t like these new laws that seek to convert us into a western community. We’re Sudanese and Muslim and we want to remain as we believe,” Asmaa Ali, another protestor, told Anadolu Agency.
Sudan ranked 7th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Background
Apostasy was introduced in Sudan in 1983 as part of the sharia imposed by Col Gaafar al-Nimeiry during his rule from 1969 to 1985, leading to civil war between the predominantly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south.
Following the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Omar al-Bashir vowed to adopt a stricter version of sharia and recognize only Islamic culture and the Arabic language.
Al-Bashir was ousted last year and is now on trial the capital, Khartoum, in connection with the military coup that brought him to power more than three decades ago.
The 76-year-old, who has already been convicted for corruption, could face the death penalty if found guilty over his role in a 1989 coup.
Patheos contributed to this report.
