The "spying" trial of pastors in Sudan has been adjourned until next
month after the prosecution failed to prepare adequately for the case.Four defendants, including two Christian pastors and a foreign Christian worker, are accused of spying. They have denied the charges.
Their trial in Khartoum was delayed for a second time after the judge accused the prosecution of being inadequately prepared.
All four men face the death penalty if found guilty.
They are Rev Hassan Taour, Rev Kuwa Shamal, Czech aid worker Petr Jasek and Darfuri graduate Abdulmonem Abdumawla.
When the case resumed yesterday, the prosecution used videos to back up the charges of spying, sources close to the trial told World Watch Monitor (WWM).
The defence said the material was not relevant to the case. The judge apparently agreed and warned the prosecution to come better prepared next time, WWM reported.
The hearing was adjourned until 17 October.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Jasek is charged with propagating false news.
He, Taour, Shamal and Abdumawla face at least seven charges including waging war against the state. One charge against the pastors is that they propagated news about churches being burned down in Khartoum and bombed in the Nuba mountains, where Christians are classed as "atheists".
On the Open Doors' 2016 World Watch List, Sudan is ranked eighth, and the organisation has requested prayers for the four defendants.