Sudan Protests: Deep concern for the safety and wellbeing of eight activists detained incommunicado.
(15 March 2019) The African Centre for Justice and Peace
Studies (ACJPS) expresses its utmost concern over the physical safety and
wellbeing of eight activists detained incommunicado without charge by the
National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). The activists were arrested
between December 2018 and February 2019 for actual or suspected participation
in the ongoing peaceful anti-government protests in Sudan. Reliable information
indicates that the activists are being detained in inhuman conditions including
denial meals.
Mr Musab Mukhtar Maridi, a football coach from Nyala, South
Darfur was arrested by NISS in Nyala on 13 January 2019 and subjected to three
months detention in the NISS section attached to Nyala prison under the
emergency law in South Darfur. A reliable source informed ACJPS that prison
authorities have refused to give him meals and he is only eating food brought
by his family.
Mr Shamsadeen Dawalbeit, human rights defender and activist,
was arrested on 22 February 2019 by NISS. Mr Dawalbait oversees the publication
of Al-Hadatha Magazine, which encourages young artists and
intellectuals to publicize their artistic talents and intellectual productions.
He has worked to engage the youth on critical debates about democracy and good
governance. Mr Dawalbeit was questioned about his suspected involvement in
encouraging youth to participate in the ongoing peaceful protests and was
ordered to unlock his phone, which he refused. As result, he was allegedly
humiliated and beaten with sticks.
Mr Dawalbeit was released that same day and he continued to
report to the NISS office for interrogations until 6 March 2019 when he was
taken into custody. He has been held incommunicado without charge in Khartoum
North ever since. ACJPS worry that the interest of NISS to access his phone
heightens his risk of being subjected to ill treatment and/or torture given the
well documented use of torture against detainees by NISS.
ACJPS is deeply concerned that members of organizations and
associations organizing the ongoing protests are at higher risk of prolonged
detention and/or subjection to torture and ill-treatment as NISS tried to
extract information about the leadership of the organizations and associations
from them. Two examples are Mr Mohamed Naji Alasam and Mr Ahmed Rabie, both
members of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which has been
instrumental in organising the ongoing protests. Mr Alasam and Mr Rabie were
arrested on 4 and 11 January 2019 respectively from Khartoum by the NISS. NISS
has continued to target members of the SPA and in February 2019, NISS used a
family member of one detainee to pressure her to reveal the names of other
members. The spokesperson of the association has been detained since 4 January
2019.
Mr Sidig Yousief, the Chairperson of the solidarity
committee, which brings together family members of the victims of the crackdown
on September 2013 protests was arrested 22 February 2019 and detained
incommunicado by NISS. He is one of the oldest detainees at 88 years old. NISS
acted in complete disregard of the Sudanese Criminal Act of 1991 which prevents
imprisonment of people above the age of 70 years. His age makes him vulnerable
to human rights abuse while in detention.
Professors of Khartoum University, Mr Mohamed Yosef Ahmed Al
Mustafa and Mr Muntesir Elteyebwere arrested on 21 February 2019 from Khartoum
Arabic Market. Mr Nazim Suraj Eldien, an activist who had been providing
medical assistance to injured protesters was arrested in Khartoum on 31 January
2019. They have been detained
incommunicado ever since.
Since 19 December 2018, NISS and police have carried out a
campaign of mass arrests targeting activists with arbitrary arrest and
prolonged and incommunicado detention for their actual or suspected
participation in protests that have broken out in different parts of Sudan,
denouncing the rising cost of living and calling on President Omar Al Bashir to
step down. Activists have been arrested
from their homes, work places or during protests. In January and February 2019,
ACJPS documented the incommunicado detention of 116 political activists, 30
human rights activists and other
activists without charge by NISS.
ACJPS reiterates its call on the government of Sudan to take
immediate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all
detainees and order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal
charges that are consistent with international standards. If such charges
exist, the detainees should be brought promptly before an impartial, independent
and competent tribunal in a process that guarantees their procedural rights at
all times.
We further urge Sudanese authorities to respect the right of
Sudanese people to peacefully protest and fully exercise their rights to
freedom of assembly, association and expression, as recognized in the Interim
National Constitution of Sudan, 2005.
Background
On 22 February 2019, President Omar Al Bashir announced a
year-long, nationwide state of emergency in a bid to quell the protests that
have already lasted almost three months. The state of emergency imposes
restrictions on fundamental rights being exercised by protesters, including
their right to peaceful assembly without permission from authorities. Moreover,
the establishment of emergency courts and prosecution offices violate the right
to a fair trial, which is guaranteed under both the Sudanese constitution, and
regional and international treaties ratified by Sudan.
Following the announcemnt, hundreds of Sudanese citizens
took to the streets in Omdurman, Khartoum and other cities across the country
calling for President Bashir’s resignation. The Government deployed a large
number of security forces, including the Sudan Armed Forces, to crackdown on
the protests. Authorities have continued to use live ammunition and tear gas to
disperse protests. Protestors were also beaten by security officials. Despite
crackdown, the SPA has continued to call for peaceful protests across the
country. At least 816 people have been arrested and detained while
57 peaceful protesters have been killed since 19 December 2018. At least 57 detainees have been released by
NISS.
List of activists in detention (where available, date and
location of arrest have been included):
Ahmed Abdulla Elshiekh(m), the chairperson of Doctors Trade
Union (an opposition union) was arrested on 25 December 2018.
Ahmed Mohamed, the founder of “Wasif lai group” was arrested
from a café in Khartoum. The group has a Facebook page where they provide
directions to places and shops within Sudan. NISS started targeting the
administrators of the page after they shared photos and personal information of
NISS agencies on their page.
Amier Esam Eldien Bob (m) was arrested on 31 January 2019
while attending a meeting of lawyers to provide legal aid for detainees from
Khartoum.
Aymen Al-Nadif Adam Sharaf Eldien (m), a communications
engineer, was arrested by NISS on 13 January 2019 in Nyala, South Darfur and
detained in the NISS section attached to Nyala prison for three months under
the 2007 Emergency Law.
Mohamed Musa Ahmed Eltahir (m), was arrested by NISS on 13
January 2019 in Nyala, South Darfur and is being detained in the NISS section
attached in Nyala prison for three months under the 2007 Emergency Law.
Mohamed Yousef (m), an advocate and human rights defender
was arrested on 30 December 2018.
Musab Hassouna (m), a photographer who trains youth in
photography, was arrested on 26 February 2019. Mr. Hasona was arrested by NISS
in Al-Damazin in Blue Nile State when he went to NISS office to inquire the
about his trainees who were arrested by NISS from main street while practicing
photography.
Mustafa Abu Alrish (m) was arrested in Khartoum on 26
February 2019.Contact
Mossaad Mohamed Ali, Executive Director, African Centre for
Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS. (English, Arabic, Swedish):
+46764325862,+256779584542.