ICC Note: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemned the unjust detainment and trial of Revs. Yat Michael and Peter Reith by the Sudanese government on suspicion of crimes against the state and spying. The charges in Sudan carry the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. Just a day after the beginning of courtroom proceedings for these South Sudanese brothers, ICC stands with USCIRF in urging all concerned readers to speak out and to publicly demand for the pastors’ immediate release.
6/1/15 Washington, D.C. (USCIRF) – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the continuing prosecution of Rev. Yat Michael and Rev. Peter Reith who face the death penalty if convicted on the baseless charges of undermining Sudan’s constitution and waging war against the state.
“The trial of Revs. Michael and Reith is a clear example of the Sudanese government’s persecution of the country’s small Christian community. They are on trial simply for demanding and urging their congregation to remain strong in the face of restrictions on their constitutional right to religious freedom,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. “USCIRF urges the U.S. government and international community to publicly speak out against the trial, demand the pastors’ immediate release, and press the Sudanese government to abide by its constitutional and international commitments to respect religious freedom for all.”
Revs. Michael and Reith, both of South Sudanese origin, belong to the Presbyterian Evangelical Church Khartoum Bahri congregation. The congregation has brought a legal case against Sudanese authorities to stop the illegal sale of church land by Sudanese authorities to a Muslim businessman. The National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) detained Rev. Michael in December 2014, after recording him urging parishioners at a church service to continue standing firm through the trials they were experiencing. The same month, authorities partially destroyed the church and arrested 37 congregants. Rev. Reith was detained in January 2015. Both pastors were held at an undisclosed location and were not granted access to lawyers and family until March 1.
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