More Progress Needed for Religious Freedom Under Sudan’s Transitional Government
03/10/2021 Sudan (International Christian Concern) – Sudan’s transitional constitution, adopted in 2019 after the coup that deposed strongman leader Omar al-Bashir, helped the country make significant strides towards a freer and more open society. As the country prepares to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the coup on April 11, the Sudanese people have much to be proud of. Though social and political freedom has sometimes come slowly, it has come and has led to included increased rights for the country’s religious minorities.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the transitional constitution is that it does not appeal to sharia—something that the previous constitution did to the serious detriment of minority religions in the country. The constitution under Bashir did appeal to sharia, setting the groundwork for the government to outlaw apostasy and criminalize blasphemy against Islam.