More detainees released as Sudanese authorities continue to target individuals with travel bans, arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention

 (4 April 2018) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies has serious safety concerns for the continued arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention of individuals including human rights defenders/activists, political opposition members and leaders in connection with the 2018 anti-austerity protests as well as on basis of their political affiliation. ACJPS has continued to monitor the arbitrary arrests and detention as well as ill-treatment of detainees including denying them the necessary health care.

In this release, ACJPS documents travel bans imposed on three activists as they attempted to exit the country at the Khartoum International Airport, arbitrary arrests and detention including incommunicado; re-arrest of students released on bail; update on release of detainees and concerns raised about the safety and well-being of those in detention.

ACJPS has serious physical safety concerns for 11 individuals including the eight students who are being held at an unknown location.The lack of access for lawyers and family members to the detainees, together with the well-documented use by the NISS of torture and other forms of ill-treatment against detainees, particularly whilst held in unknown locations, gives rise to serious concerns for their safety. Incommunicado detention significantly enhances vulnerability to torture and other ill-treatment.

On 15 March 2018, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Sudan which, among others, called for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders, civil society activists and opposition activists who are being held solely as a result of their legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights and democracy. The European Parliament deplored the targeting abuse of all human rights defenders and activists in Sudan, and called on the Sudanese authorities to guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment.

ACJPS reiterates it calls to the Government of Sudan to guarantee the physical safety of all detainees, grant them immediate and unequivocal access to their lawyers, family members and medical services, and release them in the absence of valid legal charges consistent with international standards. If such charges exist, the detainees should be brought promptly before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times. We also call on authorities to inform the family members of those held in unknown locations, of the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Travel ban imposed against activists

On 14 March 2018, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) of Khartoum banned Mr. Al-Sadig Adam Abdalla from traveling to France through Cairo to attend a Sudan Call meeting, without giving any reason. Mr. Al-Sadig is a member of the opposition Umma National party as well a member of Sudanese Civil Society Initiative.

On 8 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum banned Mr. Mohamed Abdalla Eldouma, the chairperson of Darfur Bar Association from traveling to Cairo, Egypt. Mr. Eldouma was stopped at the Khartoum Airport and his passport was confiscated from him by the NISS.  He tried to explain that he was going for a medical check but the authorities ignored his explanation. Mr. Eldouma had recently been released from custody on 19 February 2018 after spending a month in detention for his participation in a protest in Omdurman that took place on 17 January 2018.

On 6 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum banned Dr. Mohamed Jalal Hashim, a professor and a member of Kajbar Dam committee, from traveling to Dubai, without giving any reason. Dr. Hashim was informed by the NISS at the Khartoum airport that he was not allowed to travel.

Arrests made in February and March 2018

On 12 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum arrested four members of the Central Committee of the opposition Sudanese Communist Party from Sudanese Communist Party house in Khartoum II and detained them at the NISS office in Khartoum Bahri (near the Shandi bus station). They include:

1. Mr. Fathi Alfadul, the spokesperson of the Central Committee, he was released on 25 March 2018.
2. Mr. Ali Alkenin, he is being held incommunicado.

That same day, 12 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum also arrested two other members of the opposition Sudanese Communist Party from Alsafia neighborhood and detained them at the NISS office in Khartoum Bahri (near the Shandi bus station). They include:

1. Mr. Taj Elsir Osman Babo, a member of the Central Committee. He was released the next day, 13 March 2018.
2. Mr. Samir Khalil, he is being held incommunicado.

On 25 February 2018, at 7 PM, the NISS of Al Obeid in North Kordofan state raided a meeting of an alliance of opposition party members that was taking place at the Sudanese Communist Party House. Six of the members present were arrested and transferred to the NISS office in Al Obeid. At 10.30 PM, five members were released from custody whilst Mr. Mawia Mukhtar, a member of Sudanese Communist Party remained in custody. On 26 March 2018, he was transferred to Kober Prison in Khartoum from Zalingei prison in Central Darfur.

The names of the released detainees include:

1. Khalid Daoud, a member of the opposition Baath Arabic Party
2. Hamid Jaja, a member of the opposition Baath Arabic Party
3. Khalid Ali, (m) , a member of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCP)
4. Bashir Alsadig, a member of the opposition Baath Arabic Party “Alasl”
5. Mohamed Zain Alabddien, a member of the opposition Umma National Party

On 23 February 2018, the NISS of Khartoum arrested Mr. Khalid Omer, the Deputy President of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party from his family home located in Arkaweet neighborhood in Khartoum.

Darfurian Students re-arrested after release on bail

On 23 February 2018, the NISS of Khartoum re-arrested eight Darfurian University students without any reasons given and detained them at an unknown location. The students had recently been released on bail on 18 February 2018. The students were part of a group of 80 students who had been arrested from the central bus station in Khartoum Bahri on 13 September 2017 for their participation in a public speech.  The group was then detained incommunicado at the NISS political section in Khartoum Bahri. On or about 18 February, they were transferred to the Office of the Prosecutor and charged with crimes under article 69 (disturbance of public peace) and 77 (public nuisance) of the Sudanese Criminal Act, 1991 and released on cash bail of 100,000 Sudanese Pounds (approximately $5500).

The details of the re-arrested students are:

1. Abdul Malik Musa, a student at Alahlia Omdurman University
2. Yasir Abdalla, a student at Alahlia Omdurman University
3. Salim Mohamed Musa, a student at Alzaiem Alazhari University
4. Zakary Musa Abakar, a student at Alzaiem Alazhari University
5. Alhadi Abdulmouen, a student at Alzaiem Alazhari University
6. Bashir Yagoub Mohamed, a student at Omdurman Islamic University
7. Adam Zakary Adam, a student at Omdurman Islamic University
8. Mohamed Abakar Hussein, a student at Sudan University for Science and Technology

Update on release of January/February 2018 detainees

On 20 February 2018, the NISS of Al Obeid in North Kordofan state released Mr. Ali Abulgasim from custody, without charge. Mr. Abulgasim and seven other individuals were arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in Al Obeid on 10 January 2018. Six of them were released the same day whilst Mr. Abulgasim and Mr. Osman Salih were placed under six months detention in accordance with the emergency law in force on 15 January 2018. The two were then transferred from the NISS office in Al Obeid to the Al Obeid prison.

Mr. Salih remains in detention. On 11 March 2018, Mr. Salih was transferred to the police hospital in Al Obeid due to high blood sugar levels causing stomach problems. Whilst in hospital, Mr. Salih was able to receive a visit from his wife under constant surveillance from a NISS official. Mr. Salih is diabetic and only had access to his medicine after three days in detention.

In late February 2018, the NISS of Khartoum released two journalists who were arrested during the crackdown on protests that occurred in January and February in Khartoum. The two were released without charge. They include:

1. Mr. Ahmed Jadien, a journalist with Algareeda newspaper, arrested on 31 January while covering a protest in Alshabia in Khartoum Bahri. He was released on 25 February 2018 from Kober prison.
2. Mr. Alhaj Almouz, a journalist with Akhbar Alyoum newspaper, arrested on 6 February while covering a protest in Khartoum Bahri. He was released on 27 February 2018 from Kober prison.

On 25 March 2018, the following detainees were released without charge from Kober prison:

1. Mr. Mohamed Alhafiz was arrested by the NISS on 4 March 2018 from Khartoum. He is a diabetic and did not receive proper treatment/care whilst in detention causing him to develop sores under his feet.
2. 2. Mr. Khiadir Mohamed Abdalla was arrested during a protest in Khartoum Bahri on 31 January 2018.
3. Mr. Riziq Basioni was arrested from Sinja town in Sennar state on 9 February 2018.
4. Mr. Hidar Alhadi was arrested from Sinja town in Sennar state on 9 February 2018.
5. Mr. Hamid Edris

On 28 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum released without charge Mr. Abu Alhassan Farah. Mr. Farah was arrested during a protest in Omdurman on 17 January 2018 and transferred from NISS custody in Khartoum to Shalla Prison in El Fasher, North Darfur state on 26 January 2018. On 31 January 2018, he was transferred from Shalla prison to Kober prison where he was detained until his release.

On 2 April 2018, the NISS released without charge, the following detainees:

1. Omer Ushari was arrested on 16 January 2018 during a protest in Khartoum.
2. Azhari Ali
3. Ahmed Alnzir
4. Abbas Mohamed Alsubai was arrested on 31 January 2018. He is 84 years old.
5. Haidar Alsafi was arrested from his home in Omdurman on 29 January 2018.

On 6 March 2018, the NISS of Khartoum released without charge the following detainees:

1. Osman Elbgir Osman Isa, an officer of the Community Leader Affairs office within the Red Sea state government and a member of National Juba Congress. He was arrested on 17 December 2017 in Port Sudan and later transferred to Khartoum.
2. Hashim Ali Ahmed, a Community leader of Busharien tribe of the River Nile State. He was arrested from Port Sudan on 17 December 2017 and later transferred to Khartoum.
3. Abdulgadir Mohamed Musa, a member of ruling party National Congress Party. He was arrested on 20 January 2017 in Port Sudan and later transferred to Khartoum.

Expressed concerns on the health and well-being of detainees

On 1 March 2018, the opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) issued a statement that raised concern for the health condition of Mr. Omer Aldgir, the president of the SCP. Mr. Omer was arrested on 10 January 2018 and has since been held incommunicado at NISS political section in Khartoum Bahri.

On 3 March 2018, the Sudanese Former Judges Committee issued a statement that raised concern for the continued incommunicado detention of a former judge Mr. Mohamed Alhafiz, who is currently practicing as an advocate in Khartoum and is a member of the Sudanese Congress Party. Mr. Alhafiz was arrested in Khartoum on 1 February 2018 and detained at the NISS political section in Khartoum Bahri.

Contact:

Mossaad Mohamed Ali (English, Arabic, Swedish): +256 79584542, mossaad.ali@acjps.org; Cynthia Ibale (English) cynthia@acjps.org