A radical Sudanese preacher has accused a female journalist of "apostasy” for writing an article criticizing Islamic regimes.  Apostasy is punishable by death in Sudan.

On Friday, Mohammed Ali al-Gizouli called for putting journalist Shamail Al-Nur, who works for Al-Tayyar daily newspaper on trial for apostasy for writing an article saying that Islamic regimes are more preoccupied with virtue, female clothing and appearance issues than education and health services.

Speaking during the weekly Friday sermon at a mosque in the Khartoum suburb of Al-Jarif West, al-Gizouli urged his supporters to carry out a campaign for putting the female journalist and columnist on trial.

He stressed that they will thwart any attempts by secularists to undermine the Islamic law. "They have to criticize the President or the ruling party or the Islamist Movement, but the Islamic sharia law is a red line," said al-Gizouli.

The radical preacher vowed to confront all articles against the Islamic sharia law in Sudanese newspapers through argument, logic and law. The religious leader pointed out that he will sue the female journalist on apostasy charges next week.

Al-Gizouli was stopped from preaching by the authorities over the past two years for openly supporting the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (also known as IS or ISIS).

Photo: Shamail Al-Nur