Shiraz Feteh Rahman Bellula, a Sudanese woman who converted to Christianity, went into hiding to escape physical abuse from her Muslim family who objected to her "apostasy".  After she was reported missing, the police arrested Anglican Rev Elia Komondan, Catholic schoolteacher Anthony Gabriel, and four others on suspicion of kidnapping.  The woman has now returned to her family and the six Christians released from custody.

“[Rev. Komondan] was released on Thursday [May 18] without any charges,” the priest’s lawyer Kulang Jeroboam confirmed from Khartoum yesterday. Gabriel, a religion teacher at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School, also said that no charges had been brought against him.

Though the Christians were taken into custody on May 14 in response to a kidnapping complaint filed by Bellula’s family, police seemed concerned that the missing woman had converted to Christianity.

“The security officer who was questioning us was very aggressive,” Gabriel, 41, said. “He said, ‘We know you have made her a Christian. It is all your responsibility, you contributed to her killing!’”

According to one Christian source who requested anonymity, Bellula’s family was forced to sign a statement that they would not mistreat her. “But the document they were made to sign will not grant her safety,” the Christian said.
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The young woman came out of hiding after reading in the newspaper that several people had been arrested over her disappearance.

The news article says that Ms Bellula converted to Christianity two years ago, but does not indicate the circumstances in which this occurred.  Sudan’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but also cites Sharia, which prohibits leaving Islam under penalty of death, as the source of law.  (Where have we heard this before?)  So, local church leaders are quick to deny that they encourage Muslims to become Christians.

“We are not interested in converting Muslims,” the priest [Father Peter Ayoung, Catholic vicar general of the archdiocese of Khartoum] told the Khartoum Monitor, adding that changing religions is an individual responsibility.

“We are allowed to preach to our own people, but not to talk to Muslims or Christian Muslims [converts from Islam],” Canon [Sylvester] Thomas [of All Saints’ Cathedral] commented.

They can’t even talk to former Muslims who have embraced Christ!?

A local minister who insisted on anonymity said that no one wants to baptise Ms Bellula because that would put her life at risk.