Corpun file 7338 at www.corpun.com

BBC News, London, 13 April 2001

Africa

Fifty-three Christians flogged in Sudan

More than fifty Christians in Sudan have been flogged for their role in demonstrations against a government order to transfer an Easter ceremony to a different venue.

Among them were four women and two boys who were given fifteen lashes.

A church official said many more were sentenced to twenty days in jail in addition to the flogging.

Christian students and security forces clashed on Tuesday, after the authorities ordered an outdoor Easter Service due to be held by a visiting German evangelist in central Khartoum, to be moved to a closed venue in the suburbs, because of objections by some hardline Muslims. The Bishop of Khartoum Bulus Idris told the BBC that church leaders were appealing to President Bashir to ensure freedom of worship for Christians.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service