Source: Mission Network News, July 30, 2015
The final hearing of South Sudanese pastors Yat Michael Rout and Peter Yein Reith will be on August 5. The results could lead to the death penalty.
On December 2, 2014, police in North Khartoum beat, arrested, and fined 38 Christians. They were released that night. Pastor Michael was invited to encourage the church to stand firm despite the persecution. But after giving a sermon on December 14, 2014, he was arrested and detained.
Several weeks later, Pastor Reith was arrested for submitting a letter from leaders in the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church that asked about Michael’s whereabouts.
The pastors have been charged with committing crimes with other churches, spying for outsiders, and collecting and leaking information of Sudanese national security. Two charges include the death sentence.
» Read full story, which includes a picture of the two men and links to other news sources. For several other recent stories about believers in this part of Africa, see the Open Doors Newsroom.