Government of Sudan continues to subject political opposition members to arbitrary detention

(14 May 2013) Over the past two weeks, Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have launched a coordinated campaign of arbitrary detentions against political opposition members belonging to the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). This latest wave of arbitrary detentions has taken place just weeks after a public statement made by President Omar al – Bashir in early April pledging to release all political detainees in Sudan.

Since 1 May, 21 members of the SPLM – N, many prominent members of the party, have been arrested without charges by the NISS. Their arrests came just days after an armed attack launched in North Kordofan by the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of armed opposition groups, of which the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army – North (the armed wing of the SPLM-N) is a member. The following SPLM – N members are known to ACJPS to have been detained by the NISS. Details on the conditions of their detention are not known:

1. Tariq Muhise, (m), arrested on 1 May 2013 by the NISS in Wad Medani, Al Jazeera state, central Sudan.
2. Ahmed Koko Kunda, (m), arrested on 1 May by the NISS in Omdurman.
3. Hamid Ahmed Hamid, (m), arrested on 2 May by the NISS in North Kordofan.
4. Mohamed Alsadig, (m), arrested on 3 May by the NISS in Nyala, South Darfur.
5. Musa Jojo, (m), arrested on 3 May by the NISS in Omdurman.
6. Saad Mohamed Abdalla, (m), 21 years of age. Arrested on 3 May by the NISS in Mairno, Senaar state.
7. Asma Ahmed, (f), 39 years of age. Arrested on 4 May by the NISS in Khartoum. She is currently being detained incommunicado. Asma also suffers from diabetes.
8. Mohamed Mahmoud Alawad, (m), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in Dungla, Northern state.
9. Alla Mohmoud, (f), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in Dungla, Northern state.
10. Jamal Abdulaziz, (m), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in Halfa, eastern Sudan.
11. Hanan Ali Mohamed Khalil, (m), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in Omdurman.
12. Adam Mahadi, (m), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in El Obeid, North Kordofan.
13. Khalifa Abuah Tour, (m), arrested on 4 May by the NISS in El Obeid, North Kordofan.
14. Al Rashied Ali Omer, (m), arrested at 3:30pm on 8 May by the NISS in Kosti, White Nile.  Al Rashied is also a member of the Sudanese Communist Party.
15. Nimat Adam Jumaa, (f), arrested at 6:20pm on 8 May by the NISS from her home in Kosti, White Nile. Nimat was part of the SPLM – N delegation to the peace talks with the GoS in Addis Ababa. Nimat’s family was later informed that they should gather her clothes in order for her to be transferred to Khartoum. Nimat was previously arrested by the NISS during the June – August 2012 anti – regime demonstrations.

On 8 May, the chairperson of the SPLM – N in North Kordofan issued a public statement expressing concern about the situation of the detainees. Sometime thereafter, the following six SPLM – N members in Um Ruaba, North Kordofan were arrested by the NISS. The six were released, and have been ordered to report back to the NISS from 8am – 4pm daily until further notice:

1. Mubarak Ramadan, (m).
2. Ismail Teah, (m).
3. Ehlam Daoud, (f).
4. Dafalla Abdu, (m).
5. Santé-no Gerang, (m).
6. Abdulrahman, (m).

Another individual called Ismail, (m), was arrested on or sometime after 8 May. Ismail’s political affiliation is unknown; however, he is a neighbour of Faisal Musa, a military commander in the SRF.

The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) is concerned about the continued harassment of political opposition members in Sudan and has serious concerns that the remaining detainees are at risk of torture and ill-treatment. ACJPS calls on the GoS to:

• Immediately make known the whereabouts of the detainees, grant them access to their families and lawyers and any medical assistance they may require.
• Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the detainees and order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards or, if such charges exist, to bring them before an impartial, independent, and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times.
• Cease the harassment and intimidation of political opponents and guarantee the right to freedom of assembly, association, and expression as recognised by the Interim National Constitution (2005) and Sudan’s commitments under international law.

Background

The recent arrests of Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) members are thought to be directly connected to the recent attacks on Abu Karshola and Um Ruwaba in North Kordofan on 26 April by Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of armed opposition groups, of which the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army – North (the armed wing of the SPLM-N) is a member.  The attacks began the same evening as peace talks collapsed between the SPLM – N and the Government of Sudan (GoS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Since the outbreak of the armed conflict between the GoS and the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army – North (SPLA-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile in 2011, the GoS has banned the SPLM-N as a political party and subjected dozens of SPLM – N members to arbitrary arrest and detention.

ACJPS has been unable to obtain detailed information on any of the detainees apart from Asma Ahmed. The NISS first came to Asma’s family home on 1 May while she was out. They returned the following day at 5pm. In her absence, they spoke to Asma’s elder brother and showed IDs indicating that they came from the Political Affairs section of the NISS. They ordered her brother to bring Asma to the Political Affairs section of the NISS offices in Khartoum Bahri, or to disclose her location.

At 10am on 4 May, Asma turned herself in to the NISS offices. Her brother accompanied her, and was informed by the NISS that their investigation would revolve around SPLM – N activities in Khartoum and the recent attacks in North Kordofan. She has been detained incommunicado since that date.

The arrests of the SPLM – N opposition leaders form part of a broader campaign targeting the right to freedom of expression, association, and assembly in Sudan, and are reminiscent of the arrest of seven opposition leaders in January following their return to Sudan from political negotiations in Kampala. Seven opposition leaders were arbitrarily arrested in Khartoum as they returned from the political negotiations in Uganda. One was released in January. The remaining detainees were released on 1 April following a decree by President Bashir to release all political detainees. One detainee was denied medical treatment while in NISS custody.

In late April, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS), Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights and Development Organisation (HUDO) were aware of at least 100 detainees still in Sudan’s custody, primarily hailing from Sudan’s conflict – hit peripheries and detained on the basis of their political affiliation. This number continues to grow.

In one high profile case, eighteen Nuba women remain detained without access to lawyers at Al-Obeid prison at the order of the NISS on account of their suspected political affiliation to the SPLM-N. They have been detained without charge or judicial review since their detention in November 2012, breaching Sudan’s own repressive National Security Act 2010.

Contact: Osman Hummaida, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS)

Phone: +44 7956 095738 (UK)

E-mail: osman@acjps.org

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