Sudan: Government authorities delay church Bible shipment

According to a report by Morning Star News on 17 August 2021, government officials have detained a shipment of Bibles. The chairman of the Sudan Pentecostal Church said customs officials refused to release the Bibles earlier this month after rejecting his denomination"s application for tax-exempt status for the shipment. Sudan"s Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Act, enacted in July 2020, eliminates customs duties for religious literature. World Watch Research (WWR) analyst Yonas Dembele comments: "For many years, the Christian community in Sudan faced government discrimination and intimidation. Christians were arrested, churches were demolished, and many Christians were attacked indiscriminately in areas of armed conflict (such as the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions). Since the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, Sudan has made a lot of progress in promoting religious freedom. While the progress is commendable, such incidents show that Christians are still not totally free to enjoy their religious freedom and still face a certain amount of discrimination."