July 12, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – The Sudanese government on Saturday announced that it has decriminalized drinking of alcohol by non-Muslims ending decades of international criticism in which the government in Sudan has been isolated since military dictator Omar al Bashir came to power in 1989.
Speaking to a TV talk show on Saturday, the Sudanese Minister of Justice, Nasr al-Din Abdel-Bari, confirmed that the government had amended a number of laws and said the government decided to abolish apostasy and legalize drinking by non-Muslim.
Both laws were controversially introduced by former president Omar al Bashir in 1991. The international community and prominent opposition leaders in Sudan have called for the removal of the law as it violates several peace agreements including the 2005 CPA which end Africa’s longest civil war.
“The Miscellaneous Amendments Act was passed in April and the Sovereign Council had no objection to it but comments [and] the Ministry of Justice sought to include in a manner that does not undermine the law,” Abdel-Bari said.
“The takfir of others became a threat to the security and safety of society. We only sought to guarantee non-Muslims their rights,” he added.
