There were reports of abuses of religious freedom, including reports of imprisonment and detention.

Most non-Muslim groups refrained from public proselytizing because, under the vaguely worded apostasy law, the government could charge them with supporting apostasy. The government stepped up its efforts to prosecute suspected proselytizers. In October the security services detained several foreign English teachers on suspicion of proselytizing. Authorities held two individuals for several weeks before ultimately deporting them, along with several family members, without court proceedings. The instructors were members of an explicitly Christian organization and incorporated discussion of their faith into their language instruction, but firmly denied they were engaged in proselytizing. In early December, the police arrested two Coptic priests and briefly detained a Coptic bishop for allegedly converting a Muslim woman to Christianity. In late December, the Coptic Church issued an apology for the incident, and called the actions of the two priests an “individual affair.” At year’s end, the two priests remained in prison without charge. The woman was not charged.

There were reports that government security services closely monitored mosques. The authorities imposed sanctions ranging from arrest and detention to stern official warnings against imams accused of making anti-government statements, inciting hatred or espousing violent or takfiri ideology (a form of Salafism that brands as an apostate anyone who does not follow the Salafist interpretation of Islam). In May the security services arrested Sheikh Masad Bahsir Alsedaira, a member of the Association of Islamic Scholars, for accusing President Bashir of being a non-believer. At year’s end, the sheik remained in detention.

There were credible reports that state governments and local authorities razed two churches. In June authorities in Khartoum State overrode a longstanding informal agreement and destroyed a building in use as an Episcopal church. Two days later, local authorities in Khartoum State razed a Catholic Church under similar circumstances.

Government officials continued to use Islamic rhetoric in support of official policies. President Bashir and other senior figures frequently alluded to the Islamic identity of the country, noting that the separation of South Sudan further entrenched the country’s Muslim characteristics. The government stated that a new constitutional drafting process would draw heavily from Islamic law. Nevertheless, government officials also publicly asserted that the government would protect members of minority religious groups.

The government occasionally enforced laws against blasphemy and defaming Islam. At year’s end, a number of cases were reportedly active in the court system.

The government dissolved the Commission for the Rights of Non-Muslims in Khartoum. The commission was created by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement as a forum for dialogue on religious freedom matters and an advocate for non-Muslims arrested for violating Islamic law.

Khartoum State authorities formed the Higher Council for Peaceful Coexistence during the year. It reportedly conducted some activities jointly with the Sudan Inter-Religious Council.

The government maintained the right to pre-edit material published by religious institutions.

Prisons provided space for Islamic prayer but no dedicated areas for Christian observance. Prison authorities usually allowed Christian prisoners to pray while in prison and sometimes allowed Christian ministers to hold services in prisons, although access was irregular.

Christian groups reported that the government often delayed permission to build churches, and asserted that permission to build mosques was not subject to similar delays. Some Christian churches reported they were required to pay taxes on items such as vehicles.

The government restricted foreigners from entering the country expressly for Christian missionary work. Some churches reported the government refused work, travel, and exit visas to church employees of foreign origin. The Ministry of Guidance and Social Endowments stated that Christian missionaries had permission to engage in humanitarian activities and promote Muslim-Christian cooperation, but foreign Christian religious workers experienced lengthy delays in obtaining visas, and the government often refused or delayed visas to foreigners affiliated with international faith-based groups.

Although the interim constitution prohibits discrimination against candidates for the national civil service based on religion, non-Muslims reported that this occurred.

There were prominent Coptic Christian politicians within the National Assembly, Khartoum city government, and Khartoum state assembly. A Copt became vice-chairman of the newly appointed Human Rights Commission. Christians from other denominations were rare in government positions, although a Protestant held the politically significant post of state minister of water resources and electricity. President Bashir supported Muslim diversity in the Ministry of Guidance and Social Endowments when he elevated the Sufi minister of state to acting minister upon the incumbent’s death in an August plane crash.

There were reports that pro-government militias in Southern Kordofan, where continuing conflict stemmed from political and economic marginalization rather than religious differences, used anti-Christian slogans, in addition to anti-southerner and anti-African statements. The government asserted that it was targeting rebels and not persons of any particular religious faith. Rebel forces in Southern Kordofan included both Muslim and Christian combatants.