African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
(10 February 2014) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) is concerned for the safety of two activists detained incommunicado and without charge by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). One of the detainees, Taj Aldeen Arjaa, has reportedly been subjected to torture. Neither has been charged with a crime.
Taj Aldeen Arjaa, (m), 23 years of age, a journalist and blogger, was arrested by the NISS in Khartoum on 26 December 2013. Mr. Arjaa openly criticised President Omar al Bashir of Sudan and Idriss Deby of Chad at a press conference attended by the two leaders for their alleged roles in the atrocities and human rights violations committed in Darfur. He was reportedly subjected to torture at NISS offices in Khartoum before being transferred after a few days to Kober prison, also in Khartoum. He was allowed one family visit after spending a month in detention. A subsequent request by his family to visit him was refused.
On 16 January 2014 the NISS arrested Dr. Sidig Noreen Ali Abdalla, (m), 42 years of age. Dr. Sidig is a father of four, a lecturer at West Kordofan University, and a supervisor of the Greater Darfur Students’ Association. Dr. Sidig was arrested by the NISS from Elnohood Public Insurance Hospital, where he had taken one of his children for treatment. He is being detained in El Obeid Prison. He has not been allowed access to his family or a lawyer.
Neither Mr. Arjaa or Dr. Sidig have been charged with a crime.
ACJPS calls on the Sudanese authorities to immediately grant the detainees access to their families and lawyers and any medical assistance they may require. The authorities must 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.
The rights to freedoms of assembly, association, and expression are enshrined in the Interim National Constitution (2005) and Sudan’s commitments under international law.
Background
ACJPS is concerned that the reasons for the arrests are not known and the detainees may be at risk of ill-treatment. Although the two cases are not thought to be connected, it is thought that both men may have been detained on account of engaging in activism on Darfur. The GoS is generally hostile to independent civil society and has traditionally been hostile to Darfuri student associations organising at universities. In 2012 and 2013 student militias and armed forces were deployed to violently disperse demonstrations held on university campuses in White Nile, Al Jazeera, and El Fashir. Their leaders have been subjected to arbitrary arrest and torture and ill-treatment.
During anti-austerity and anti-government demonstrations that occurred in Sudan in late September and early October 2013, over 800 people were detained. A number of human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and opposition political figures were arrested by armed forces from their homes as the demonstrations ignited. The arrests were believed to be an attempt at curbing participation in the demonstrations. Many of the activists and human rights defenders detained were held incommunicado and without access to their families and lawyers.
Contact: Osman Hummaida, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) in London on +44 7956 095738 or e-mail info@acjps.org.
