5 Sudan

Persecution Type

Islamic oppression (Very strong)
Dictatorial paranoia (Very strong)
Organized corruption and crime (Strong)
Clan oppression (Strong)

Christian population

2,028,000

Main Religion

Islam

Leader

Lt. Gen. Abd-al-Fatah al-Burhan Abd-al-Rahman

What does persecution look like in Sudan?

Sudan was on a path toward religious freedom, but a coup and devastating war dashed these hopes. Christians are once again in danger.

With the ongoing war, Sudan is now home to both the world’s largest displacement and largest hunger crisis, with nearly nine million people having been forced to flee their homes. Neither side is sympathetic to Christians, and the conflict has given Islamist extremists more opportunity to target them. More than 100 churches have been damaged, and Christians have been abducted and killed. Converts face severe backlash from their families and communities. These believers tend to keep their faith secret, even from their children.

Christians are also experiencing exceptional hardship in the hunger crisis because local communities discriminate against them and won’t give them support. Much of the church in Sudan, which might have been able to help with aid distribution, is on the run.

How can I pray?

Pray for peace and that believers will not be targeted.
Thank God for the Christians who continue to serve the vulnerable during the war. Pray that God will preserve and protect their brave witness.
Ask God to be with believers displaced by the violence in Sudan. Pray that He will hear the cries of the suffering and deliver them.

SUDAN

Home / Country Profiles / Sudan

Arabs, Africans, Muslims, Christians: the cultural mix is complicated, but the government is strictly implementing a policy of one religion, culture and language.

Sudan

World Watch List Rank	5
World Watch List Score	90/100
Last year’s rank	8
Persecution Type	Islamic oppression (Very strong), Dictatorial paranoia (Very strong), Organized  corruption and crime (Strong), Clan oppression (Strong)
Leader	Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Population	45,992,000
Christians	2,000,000 Data source: Johnson T M and Zurlo G A, eds, World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, accessed April 2022)
Main Religion	Islam
Government	Presidential Republic
Region	Africa
Persecution Level	Extreme Persecution

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Soudan | RANG N° 6

Le régime autoritaire du président Al-Béchir ne respecte ni l’État de droit, ni la liberté de presse, ni la liberté d’expression. Bien que la Constitution garantisse la liberté de religion, la plupart des lois promeuvent une application stricte de la charia. Il est par exemple interdit de quitter l’islam. L’armée lutte contre des rebelles au Darfour, au sud Kordofan et dans le Nil Bleu.

Situation des chrétiens

On compte des chrétiens appartenant à différentes dénominations et mouvements : catholiques romains, coptes orthodoxes, protestants, membres de l’Église épiscopale du Soudan et de l’Église soudanaise du Christ. Il y a aussi quelques chrétiens d’arrière-plan musulman.

Dans le cadre de la politique d’arabisation et d’islamisation du pays menée par le gouvernement, les chrétiens sont stigmatisés et discriminés, leurs églises sont détruites. Les dirigeants chrétiens sont arrêtés sur la base de fausses accusations et inculpés. La situation est encore plus grave pour les chrétiens d’arrière-plan musulman. Ils vivent leur foi en secret. S’ils sont découverts, ils risquent la mort pour apostasie. L’influence de l’islam radical est de plus en plus grande, et particulièrement depuis l’indépendance du Sud-Soudan en 2011.

Le christianisme est arrivé au Soudan au IV^e siècle. Pendant près de 1000 ans, le pays était majoritairement chrétien. Au XV^e siècle, le pays s’islamise avec l’invasion arabe.

Exemples de persécution

11 février 2018 — Dans la banlieue de Khartoum, l’Église évangélique presbytérienne (SPEC) est entièrement détruite. Le culte venait de se terminer quand la police a fait irruption pour confisquer les biens matériels de l’église et laisser les ouvriers démolir le bâtiment. Les responsables de l’assemblée étaient encore dans l’attente d’une décision de justice après le plan gouvernemental de démolition de 27 églises. La SPEC est la troisième à être ainsi détruite.

13 octobre 2018 — Dix chrétiens ont été détenus huit jours sans cause au Darfour et neuf d’entre eux ont été battus. Tous ont subi des pressions pour renier leur foi. Trois autres ont été remis en liberté rapidement.

Autres groupes religieux persécutés

Juifs, bahaïs, témoins de Jéhovah, musulmans chiites.

Taux de persécution par domaines

Le haut niveau de pression dans la sphère ecclésiale traduit les efforts du gouvernement pour démolir les églises et arrêter les chrétiens. Le Soudan est devenu un pays où les chrétiens souffrent de sérieuses restrictions à leur liberté de pratiquer leur foi, tant individuellement que collectivement.

Évolution de la persécution depuis cinq ans

Ces dernières années la pression s’est maintenue à un niveau extrême dans les domaines de la vie civile et ecclésiale, démontrant bien que la persécution est systémique, organisée par l’État et qu’elle vise en priorité les églises.

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That God will provide opportunities for His followers to meet safely and be encouraged to persevere
Ask Him to equip church leaders to stand strong when under pressure from Islamic extremists
For the hearts of Sudanese leaders to be transformed so the country can experience justice, peace and freedom of religion.