The attorney defending two pastors charged with various crimes at a court in Khartoum presented the defense case for the pastors on Thursday, calling on the court to drop the charges.

By now the court has questioned both of the accused pastors and listened to both defense and prosecution teams. The charges against the two pastors include: complicity in committing crimes with other bodies (article 21), spying for outsiders (article 53), and collecting and leaking information to the detriment of Sudanese national security (article 55).

The charge of undermining the constitutional system (article 50) has been dropped.

Thabith Al Zubir, one of the lawyers defending the pastors, said that the defense team refuted all the accusations levelled against its clients, saying there was no clear evidence in the case. The defense lawyers asked the presiding judge to drop the case.

The lawyers presented their case on Thursday in Khartoum Bahri Court, according to the sources.

The defense said that their clients were arrested illegally by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). “Justice requires that you don’t judge simply because you doubt without any concrete evidence,” the lawyer said.

The lawyer said his client did not violate Sudan’s law when he was preaching in Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church because he was just carrying out his duty as a pastor. In addition, the lawyer raised concern over their client for being tried for being illegally accused of insulting religion.

“To urge believers to be zealous for their church is not an insult against God,” the lawyer said

He was referring to NISS for arresting Pastor Yat Michael on December 14 2014 after delivering a sermon in Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church, North of Khartoum. The lawyer said that their clients were illegally detained for a long period of time without trail.

“This is illegal and against the bill of rights in Sudan’s constitution,” said the lawyers in their defense. The lawyers are calling the court to respect Sudan's constitution instead the powers of the National Intelligence and Security Service to arrest and detain any person for a long period of time without trail.

The lawyers concluded that the court should accept their appeal and drop the charges for lack of evidence. “These charges are built on sand,” the lawyers concluded.

Pastor Yat Michael 49, was arrested on December 14 2014 after attending church service where he encouraged church members to be good stewards of their Church. Rev. Peter Yein was arrested on 11 January after presenting a letter to Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowment inquiring about the whereabouts of Yat Michael.

The presiding judge announced that the case was closed awaiting the final ruling.