Human rights defenders and activists arrested, detained and falsely charged for their work in Sudan

(31 July, 2023) African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) calls upon the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to cease the harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders and activists for their work. ACJPS has documented several incidents where human rights defenders and activists have been arbitrarily arrested and detained by SAF and RSF including 17 resistance committee members for their advocacy work against the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan, for the release of detainees and engaging with the ceasefire local committees in North Darfur, Khartoum, Aljazeera, and Northern State. At least eleven civilians were also arrested and detained by both SAF and RSF for their ethnic affiliations or alleged affiliation with the opposite party. One detainee who was arrested by RSF in West Darfur was found dead. At least seven of the detainees were charged with Espionage, an offence that carry a punishment of death penalty under article 53 of the Sudanese Criminal Law of 1991.

ACJPS is deeply concerned about the physical welfare of detainees given the well-documented use of torture against detainees by RSF and SAF, particularly while held in isolated or ungazetted detention centres without access to families or lawyers.

We therefore call upon the RSF and SAF to:

• 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 human rights defenders, activists and civilians, and guarantee their right to freedom of expression as recognised under article 56 of the Constitutional Declaration of 2019 and international and regional human rights treaties that Sudan is a state party to.

We also call upon Sudanese authorities to carry out an investigation into the arbitrary detention and alleged ill treatment and torture of the detainees by the warring parties.  Such an investigation should be thorough and impartial with the view of finding and holding the perpetrators accountable. The authorities must instruct its security agencies to cease the harassment and intimidation of individuals exercising their rights legitimately.

Human Rights Defenders arbitrarily arrested by SAF

1. Zamzam Khater (f), a journalist and a member of the ceasefire committee in North Darfur. She was arrested on 24 June 2023 by SAF military intelligence officers in Elfashir while on her way for a meeting organized by the committee.

2. Abdul Majed Aidros (m), an advocate and human rights defender in Atbara, River Nile State. He was arrested on 1 July, 2023 while he had gone to offer legal assistance to the resistance committee members who had been arrested and detained by SAF. Mr. Majed was detained together with the other detainees and was released later the same day.

3. Mohamed Hamed Mohamed Ishaq (m), an advocate. He was arrested on 25 June, 2023 at the Sudan-Chad border while trying to flee from Elgenina, West Darfur

4. Ali Hussein (m) an advocate by profession. He was arrested on 60^th Street at Arkawet, Khartoum by SAF on 15 April, 2023.

5. On 18 June, 2023 Ibrahim Ahmed Alzubir (m) member of civil lap a civil society organization in Sudan was arrested by SAF in Kasala, Eastern Sudan while on his way to Halfa in Northern State

6. On 17 July, 2023 Mohamed Ibrahim also known as Toli was arrested by SAF soldiers in Alobid, North Kordofan

7. On 19 July, 2023 a SAF soldiers arrested Monim Wad Zainab (m) from Alwadi main street in Omdurman. Mr. Wad is a youth volunteer at Alnao hospital in Althura, Omdurman. He has also been active in supporting the patients to seek medicines.

Resistance committee members arrested by SAF

Three members of the resistance committee were arrested in Northern Sudan State for their advocacy activities like calling upon SAF and RSF to agree to a ceasefire and stop the armed conflict. They were arrested by SAF Military Intelligence officers and detained at SAF detention center in Manawi town where they were allegedly subjected to torture. The group was then charged with Espionage against the country, allowing and assisting prisoners of war to escape and abetment of mutiny under articles 53, 54 & 58 of Sudanese Penal Code 1991 respectively. On 13 July 2023 the group was released on bail. They include:

1. Muzamil Mohamed Osman (m), a member of Manawi Resistance Committee. He was arrested on 07 June, 2023
2. Suleiman Ahmed Khalid (m), a member of Manawi Resistance Committee. He was arrested on 12 June, 2023.
3. Alshareef Hussein alias Alhamadabi (m) a member of the Democratic Unionist Front. He was arrested on 05 June, 2023.

Another group of resistance committee members from the Northern Sudan are still in detention following their arrest by SAF Military Intelligence officers. The group was transferred to a police station where they were charged with Espionage against the country, allowing and assisting prisoners of war to escape and abetment of mutiny under articles 53, 54 & 58 of Sudanese Penal Code 1991. These were also arrested for their advocacy work against the armed conflict.

1. Abu Al- Gasim Twash (m), a member of Karima Resistance Committee. He was arrested on 05 June, 2023.
2. Zakary Babkir (m), a member of Karima Resistance Committee. He was arrested on 16 July, 2023
3. Ahmed Hassan Abu Huraira (m), a member of Ark Resistance Committee. he was arrested on 09 July, 2023 by SAF Military Intelligence.
4. Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim (m), member of Karima Resistance Committee. He was arrested on 17 July, 2023

Mr. Alys Abdul Gadir (m), a member of the resistance committee of Senar state in Central Sudan was arrested by RSF from his workplace. Mr. Gadir was arrested for his active participation and support of local initiatives against the armed conflict. He is also involved in providing support to IDPs to flee to Senar State from other war-torn areas like Khartoum State. He was later released on 14 July 2023.

On 16 July, 2023, Mr. Mohamed Azhari, a member of a resistance committee in Alhashisa, Aljazeera State was arrested by SAF military intelligence officers for his activities against the armed conflict and support to IDPs to flee from war torn areas to Senar State. Mr. Azhair was charged with Disturbance of Public Peace and Public Nuisance under article 69 and 77 of the Sudanese Penal Code, 1991 and later released on bail.

On 16 May, 2023, SAF military intelligence in Khartoum arrested three resistance committee members of Khartoum Bahari for their advocacy work against the armed conflict. They are:

1. Sadam Juma (m)
2. Ameer Abode (m)
3. Mujahed Al Noor (m)

On 26 June, 2023, Mr. Mohamed Kareem, another member of Khartoum Bahari resistance committee was arrested by SAF.

Members resistance committee of Atbara town in River Nile who were arrested by SAF

1. Abdul Fatah Abdul Maroof (m), was arrested on 30 June, 2023.
2. Mergani Alsir (m), was arrested on 30 June, 2023.
3. Aube Sir Alkhatim (m), he was arrested on 01 July, 2023. He was charged with Disturbance of Public Peace and Public Nuisance under articles 69 and 77 of the Sundanese Penal Code,1991 respectively and article 5 of the Sudanese Emergency law, 1997

Activists arrested by RSF

The following group of activists and community leaders have been arrested by RSF in Kotum city in North Darfur since June 26^th 2023. They are currently detained at Kotum prison which is being used by RSF as detention center since they took control of the town

1. Ibrahim Hamed Ali (m) from Kotum town, North Darfur.
2. Mohamed Abdul Resold Khalil (m) from Kotum, North Darfur.
3. Jafar Mohamed Hamed (m) from Kotum, North Darfur,
4. Ibrahim Hamed (m) a community leader in Kotum, North Darfur,
5. Nizar Adam Ali (m) from Kotum, North Darfur.
6. Ibrahim Ahmed (m) a community leader from Kotum, North Darfur.

Civilians arrested by SAF for their ethic affiliations

1. Salih Musa Ahmed Alfadul (m), a member of the Messeria tribe from West Kordofan. He was arrested by SAF from Almuhandseen in Omdurman on 21 May, 2023
2. Gadim Ahmed Haroun (m), a member of the Messeria tribe from West Kordofan. He was arrested by SAF in Omdurman on 20 May, 2023.
3. Salih Musa Ahmed Alfadul (m), a member of Messeria tribe from West Kordofan. He was arrested by SAF from Almuhandseen in Omdurman on 21 May, 2023.
4. Hamad Shuga Almahadi (m), a member of the Messeria tribe from West Kordofan. He was arrested by SAF from Alobid in North Kordofan on 05 May, 2023.
5. Mohamed Osman Haraz (m), wasarrested by SAF from his home in Althura 73 neighborhood of Omdurman,
6. Mohamed Hamadan Haraz was arrested by SAF from his home at the Althura 73 neighborhood of Omdurman

Civilians arrested by RSF for their ethnic affiliations

1. Mubarak Alfadul Mohamed (m), from the Masalit tribe
2. Abdul Gaioum Yosef Musrala (m), from the Masalit tribe
3. Alfadil Abdallah Mohamed (m), from the Masalit tribe. He was subjected to house arrest.

They were all was arrested on 25 June, 2023 at the Chadian border while he was trying to flee from Elgenina, West Darfur.

 Civilians arrested by RSF

1. Mohamed Izz Eldien (m) from Arkawet neighborhood in Khartoum. He was arrested on 16 May, 2023
2. Salah Noor Eldien (m) from East Aldom
3. Aymen Said Abdul Gadir Alkhabir (m) was arrested from his family home in Arakite in Khartoum on 19 July, 2023

A reliable source informed ACJPS RSF arrested several local businessmen in Zalingi, Central Darfur and later released them after payment of money (ransom) with some paying upto 2600USD.

Detention Centers

ACJPS has been reliably informed about some of the SAF and RSF detention centers across Sudan

SAF detention center in Khartoum State

• The Strategic Unit building
• Military intelligence base
• Karari base in Omdurman
• Engineering Unit in Omdurman.

RSF detention centers in Khartoum

• RSF military intelligence headquarters in Alryad neighborhood in Khartoum
• Residential houses in different neighborhoods in Khartoum for example a house in Altayef neighborhood of Khartoum, a house in Alsabeel neighborhood in Alamir locality, Omdurman
• On one isolated incident, detainees were held at a check point in Kafuri neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari
• A Police station in 18 neighborhood also known as Almurbate in Abu Sead locality in Omdurman
• Ali Abdul Fatah University Student hostel
• Eltijani Almahi hospital of Omdurman
• The National Television and Radio building located in Almulazmeen neighborhood, Omdurman.
• The weapons and ammunition unit located in Shambate neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari

Detention centers outside Khartoum

 Both SAF and RSF use their military bases across the country as detention centers.