Rev Kwa Shamaal, head of missions for the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC), was arrested on 18 December. From 21 December he was allowed home daily from midnight to 8 am, then required to report to the office of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), where he was held from 8 am until midnight daily. But now he has been released from this obligation and can go free. His colleague, Rev Hassan Abdelrahim Tawor, SCOC vice-moderator, is still in detention 24/7 without charges. NISS officials were said to have been upset with the pastors for telling others that Christians faced persecution in Sudan, and the two pastors were arrested from their respective homes at the same hour. No charges were brought against them, although officials objected to their Christian activities.