A Sudanese court on Sunday sentenced Czech aid worker to life in prison after nearly one year in detention and two other Christians to prison terms of 12 years on charges related to espionage, a defense attorney said.
The court also convicted the aid worker Petr Jasek to pay fine of 100,000 ($16,000) Sudanese Pounds for working for a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Sudan without permission, according to Morning Star News.
Jasek was also sentenced to six months imprisonment for spreading false information.
The Czech aid worker Petr Jasek also faced charges that include waging war against the state, violating restrictions in military areas, spreading false news aiming at tarnishing the image of Sudan, and inciting hatred among the communities. The aid worker was also charged of entering Sudan illegally.
Jesek was first arrested in 2015 for entering the country illegally and he was later accused of espionage with his video camera confiscated since then.
Also on Sunday, the court in Khartoum convicted Rev. Hassan Abdelrahim Tawor and Abdulmonem Abdumawla of Darfur for assisting Jasek in the alleged espionage, causing hatred among communities and spreading false information.
They received 10-year sentences for espionage-related charges, and two years of prison for “inciting hatred between sects and propagation of false news.