The Faith and Propagation Department has suspended Sheikh Omer Al Badawi the Imam of a mosque in Gadarif, ordering him in a letter not to lead the Friday congregation prayer.

Sheikh Mahmoud Taha Hussein, Gadarif State’s prominent scholar, has harshly criticized the State government policies. According to Bajnews website, the Imam last Friday also lashed out against other colleague Imams and preachers for failing to highlight hard living conditions in their Friday congregational prayer sermons.

The ban is seen as violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which provides: Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference, everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

Source: Bajnews