Growing Trend: Sudanese Government Targets Student Activists

On 25 January 2012, five members of Grifina, a non-violent youth led resistance movement, were arrested in Sudan.  These arrests give evidence of a government campaign targeting youth activists.     

The five activists participated in a forum organized by Grifina to commemorate the 2005 Beja massacre at Port Sudan, condemning the lack of justice for the victims.  After the forum, the following Grifina members were immediately arrested.  

1.      Amar Dirar

2.      Nagi Musa Hasab Alrasol

3.      Gazi Eltayeb

4.      Mohamed Mahjoub

5.      Sharif Kamal  

Over the weekend they were moved to Kober Prison.   Additionally, the family of Mohamed Omer Al Amin has declared him missing since the evening of the forum and Mr. Omar Ahmed Hamid was arrested on his way home from the meeting.  Three other activists who helped to organize the forum have reported that their homes are under surveillance.  Ms. Roshod Shams Aldein reports that National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS)  officials knocked on her front door repeatedly the evening of the 25^th. 

On 27 January 2012, the following activists from Sharara (Youth for Change) and Change Now were arrested while attending a meeting. 

1.      Magdi Akasah

2.      Hatim Shinab

3.      Yasin

4.      Abdalla Aidrous

5.      Eltahir Badraldeen

6.      Mohamed Ahmed Awad (Shol)

They were released on 29 January 2012. These incidents are not isolated.  On 29 November 2011, police arrested Grifina members in Omdurman Market while they were conducting a public forum condemning the current economic situation.  The activists blamed the faltering economy on the government and distributed pamphlets encouraging activism.  The arrested activists are:

1.      Nagi Musa

2.      Akram Ahmed

3.      Amar Dirar

4.      Bakri Alajami

That evening NISS officials interrogated the activists and tortured them. There were no charges filed and they were warned to refrain from engaging in public activities in both markets and streets.    On 30 December 2011, members of the NISS arrested Mr. Taj Alsir Gafarr, a student and member of Grifina, near Khartoum University.   On 7 January 2012, three NISS officials in civilian clothes entered the home of Ms. Nagla Sid Ahmed (Grifina member) appropriating three laptop computers, two cameras, a desktop computer, and seven flash drives.    The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) calls on the Government of Sudan to immediately release the detained activists. The

2010 National Security Act allows security officials to detain suspects for up to four and a half months without judicial review, before charges must be levied.  ACJPS is concerned that this provides the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) with a free hand to detain activists without the burden of justification.  These arrests illustrate a growing trend to silence the freedom of expression and limit access to information.    

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

Phone: +44 7956095738

E-mail: osman@acjps.org