The trial has resumed in Khartoum in Sudan of four men who are being accused of bringing Christian persecution to public attention.
The trial of two Sudanese church pastors, one student and one aid worker began last week and resumed this week.
The four defendants Petr Jasek, a Czech aid worker, Rev Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour and Rev Kuwa Shamal, pastors from the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan and Abdulmonem Abdumawla Issa Abdumawla, a Darfuri student, are accused of intelligence activities and providing material support for rebels in the war-torn country.
The Sudan Tribune, based in Paris, reported that the prosecution showed the court photos and videos which he said Jasek gave to a US medical relief agency and showed Jasek in the Nuba mountains with the agency. These mountains have many Christians living in them and are near South Sudan but were not allowed to secede with the rest of what is now South Sudan.
The prosecutor claimed this agency intended to interview civilians that it believed had been tortured, World Watch Monitor reports.
Many western diplomats were in court to hear the case against the defendants, who face possible death sentences if convicted.
US religious freedom ambassador David Saperstein tweeted when the trial opened last week:
After mos of detention, #Sudan Pastors Kowa Shamal & Hassan Abdelrahim have trial. Deeply concerned abt charges, 2 which carry death penalty
— David Saperstein (@AmbSaperstein) August 22, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">Christian Today reported last week that that Jasek was arrested in December by Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services a few days after entering the country. Jasek is associated with the US-based Voice of the Martyrs organisation.
The prosecution claims the four men fabricated videos of incidents of claimed genocide, the killing of civilians and burning of villages as well as making false claims about the persecution of Christians in Sudan. They are also accused of seeking to distort the image of the government by disseminating information that could be used to put international pressure on the country.
