Is Alcohol legal in Sudan?
- Legal status
- Prohibited for Muslims / permitted for non-Muslims (2020 reform) — alcohol (ethanol) was banned nationwide from 1983; a July 2020 legal amendment lets non-Muslims consume alcohol privately, while it remains barred for the Muslim majority.
- Consequences if caught
- Muslims consuming alcohol still face criminal penalties; non-Muslims may drink privately provided it does not disturb public order and is not done in public. Enforcement is unsettled amid conflict.
- If prescribed or medical
- n/a — a beverage, not a medicine.
- Documentation
- No open retail market; non-Muslims may consume privately under the 2020 reform. Public consumption and supply to Muslims remain prohibited.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Sudan’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →