Al-Watan boss testifies in Abraham Chol’s treason case

Michael Real Christopher, the editor-in-chief of the Arabic newspaper, Al-Watan, testified before the special higher court as an indictment witness in the Abraham Chol case during the eighth session yesterday.

Christopher gave more of a press interview regarding Chol’s story, which was published by Al-Watan newspaper at the time.

He said that he met the accused and asked to have a press interview with him about the activities carried out by the “Kush Church”—which Chol had himself founded.

According to Christopher, he had already conducted one interview session with Chol in the latter’s office in Hai “Al-Jabal’’ about the religious activities carried out by the “Kush Church,’’ and the other was now a follow-up.

“The newspaper did not publish all the interviews, as the sections in which Chol discussed his political views were removed, according to the newspaper’s policies,’’ he said.

He added, “I asked Abraham Chol, are you a prophet? And I also asked him about how he is able to treat patients with some incurable diseases, such as COVID-19 and AIDS, according to his claim.’’

Christopher testified that Chol’s answers were that the cleric had a religious philosophy and that he was not a prophet but a divine king who came to save the citizens from the crises that the country was going through.

The scribe defended his published content, saying that he ensured that no treasonous parts were published.

“From the interview, I had with Abraham Chol, I found that he has a religious philosophy different from the others, and he can be considered a religious reformer,” he concluded.