Amnesty International says the two South Sudan pastors detained in Khartoum since December have restricted access to their lawyers.

Reverend Yat Michael and Reverend Peter Yen are only being allowed to meet the lawyer once in court for only 10 to 15 minutes.

The pastors are currently being held in private detention and are at risk of flogging and death penalty if convicted.

They have been charged of undermining the constitutional system; promoting religious hatred and disturbance of public peace.

“The lawyer was only allowed to meet the two South Sudanese pastors for 10-15 minutes during a court session on 2 July where the court ruled that there was sufficient evidence to warrant the defense’s response,” it said in a statement.

“He [lawyer] protested that this was insufficient time to prepare a defense for his clients who are facing the death penalty.”

The London-based human rights watchdog believes that the trial against Reverend Yat Michael and Reverend Peter Yen is related to the exercise of their freedom of religion and thus considers them prisoners of conscience.

It says the pastors were transferred to Kober Prison in Khartoum, a maximum security facility, on the 4^th of June. Thereafter, their families and lawyer were not allowed to visit them.

Their lawyer challenged this in court on 8 June, but his appeal was denied.

Amnesty International believes that the trial related to the exercise of their freedom of religion.