[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT MUST BE HELD TO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS 
                               STANDARDS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of persecuted 
religious believers in Sudan.
  Mr. Faisal Abdallah, a 39-year-old Christian convert from Islam 
currently is imprisoned in Khobar Prison in Khartoum. Though accused of 
evangelism, Mr. Abdallah has not formally been charged with apostasy. 
Instead he has been charged with criminal violations of, and I quote, 
``political conspiracy against the Khartoum regime.'' This charge 
requires the death penalty upon conviction.
  The Sudanese Government is attempting to force extremist Islam on the 
entire population of Sudan. Reports are that authorities beat, torture, 
sell into slavery, force to convert to Islam in exchange for food and 
force to fight against their own people, anyone who disagrees with the 
Khartoum government. Christians, Animists and moderate Muslims suffer 
terribly.
  Mr. Speaker, these horrifying atrocities must not continue. The 
Sudanese Government must be held to international human rights 
standards which protect religious and other fundamental freedoms.

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