Urgent concern for individuals detained in unknown locations and dozens still in detention amidst release of Sudan 2018 detainees

The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) welcomes the announcement of the release of 80 political detainees but remains concerned that dozens more are still being held incommunicado, without charge or trial. ACJPS is aware of at least 71 detainees still under NISS custody who were arrested during the crackdown on the 2018 peaceful protests.

According to a news report published in Al Intibaha newspaper, traditionally affiliated with the ruling National Congress Party, Lt. Gen Abdallah, the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), is quoted to have stated that the release of the remaining detainees will be determined by the behavior of the political parties they are affiliated to. The conditional release of the remaining detainees based on a recent statement made by Lt. Gen Salah Abdallah, raises concern about the detainees’ right to liberty of person and their access to other procedural guarantees.

ACJPS has serious concerns for the physical safety of 14 individuals who are being detained in unknown locations. 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.

The authorities detained several journalists as they covered the January 2018 protests and confiscated a number of national newspapers that attempted to cover the protests. Four journalists are still being held. They include: Kamal Karar from Al Midan newspaper affiliated with opposition Sudanese Communist Party; Ahmed Jadien, a journalist with Aljareeda independent newspaper; Mohamed Abdelmonim, a freelance journalist and Al Haj Elmauz, a journalist with Akhbar Alyoum newspaper. Authorities have often targeted journalists perceived to be critics of the regime with arbitrary arrests and prolonged detention including incommunicado. The continued arbitrary detention of journalists in response to their reporting on peaceful protests violates right to freedom of expression and free press as provided in article 39 of the Interim National Constitution of 2005 and international and regional human rights treaties that Sudan is a state party to.

We urge 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.

Continued arrests and detention in February 2018

On 7 February, the NISS of South Kordofan re-arrested 18 students after the Criminal Court of Aldalang dropped charges against them. The 18 students were charged with offences under the 1991 Criminal Actin relation to their participation in a peaceful student protest staged after an officer of the Sudan Armed Forces indiscriminately shot and killed two students on the university campus. The conduct of the NISS indicates a lack of respect for the judicial process and the rule of law and violates the rights to fair trial and liberty and security of person.

1. Mudathir Abdalla Mohamed, (m)
2. Abdalla Ramadan Khatier, (m)
3. Adam Abakar Adam, (m)
4. Al-Fadil Mustafa Abdalla, (m)
5. Abdalla Abakar Issa, (m)
6. Hassan Suliman Jafar, (m)
7. Rashid Ahmed Adam, (m)
8. Mohamed Ismail Yagoub, (m)
9. Abakar Omer Adam, (m)
10. Abdulshafi Ibrahim, (m)
11. Mahmoud Abakar Hamad, (m)
12. Abdulhadi Ali Abdulrahman, (m)
13. Tariq Jumaa, (m)
14. Ahmed Omer Abdulrahman, (m)
15. Nour Eldien Ali, (m)
16. Hassan Abdalla, (m)
17. Mohamed Ibrahim, (m)
18. Ahmed Ishag Adam, (m)

On 17 February, the NISS of South Kordofan transferred 6 students from the above-mentioned detainees to Khartoum and their whereabouts is unknown.  Their names are:

1. Adam Abakar Adam, (m)
2. Al-Fadil Mustafa Abdalla, (m)
3. Hassan Suliman Jafar, (m)
4. Rashid Ahmed Adam, (m)
5. Mohamed Ismail Yagoub, (m)
6. Mudathir Abdalla Mohamed, (m)

On 19 February 2018, NISS of Khartoum arrested three members from the opposition Sudanese Communist Party and detained them and their whereabouts remain unknown. Reasons for their arrest are unknown, however it is suspected that their arrest could be connected to their political affiliation. The details of their arrest are as follows:

1. Awaad Bashier was arrested from his workplace in Althura 24 neighborhood in Omdurman
2. Salah Mohamed Issa was arrested from his home in Althura 9 neighborbood in Omdurman
3. Sharif Abdulkarim was arrested from Althura neighborhood in Omdurman

On 31 January, the NISS of Sinja town in Sennar state arrested five men for their participation in a peaceful demonstration against the rising prices of basic commodities. They were arrested from the main street near the Nile Sports Club in Sinja as during a protest raid by the NISS. On 1 February, the NISS transferred the five detainees from their office to the Sinja Police station where they were charged with offences under sections 69 (disturbance of public peace) and 77 (public nuisance) of the 1991 Sudanese Criminal Act and then released on bail.

Immediately after a court session on 7 February, the five detainees were detained by the NISS and then transferred from NISS office in Sinja and taken an unknown location later that evening. They names of the five detainees are:

1. Haidar Al-Hadi (m), a member of opposition Sudanese Communist Party
2. Omer Aldan (m)
3. Zarouq Mahjoob Basioni (m)
4. Abdala Adam
5. Yosef Alnaiem Tagali (m)

Releases in February 2018

On 19 February at 6PM, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, the Chairperson of the Darfur Bar Association was transferred from Shalla Prison, in North Darfur and brought to Kober Prison in Khartoum and thereafter released at about 9 PM the same day. Mr. Aldouma, was arrested on 17 January 2018 as he took part in a protest in Omdurman. On 26 January, Mr. Aldouma was transferred from Khartoum to Shalla Prison in North Darfur.

On 19 February 2018, the NISS of Al Obeid in North Kordofan released two students of Kordofan University after spending nine days in custody. The two students were arrested and detained incommunicado by the NISS on 10 February 2018. According to a reliable source, their arrest is in relation to their participation in a student protest that was organized at the University on 7 February 2018. They include:

1. Mohamed Eltigani Zain Albadein
2. Khalid Mohamed “Alyounani”

On 18 February, at least ten female detainees were released from Kober Prison shortly after the NISS held a press conference to announce the release of individuals detained in relation to their participation in the January 2018 protests. They include:

1. Amel Habani, a journalist with Al Tagheer online newspaper.
2. Nahid Jabrallah, human rights defender and Director of the Sima Centre for Training and Protection of Women and Children’s Rights.
3. Sarah Nugdallah, Secretary General of the opposition National Umma Party
4. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, a human rights lawyer
5. Sheima Ibrahim Elsheikh, an activist and a daughter to Mr. Ibrahim Elsheikh, former president of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party.
6. Isra Ibrahim Elsheikh, an activist and a daughter to Mr. Ibrahim Elsheikh, former president of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party.
7. Naglla Mohamed Ali
8. Areeg Abdalla
9. Suhair Ali Daif Alla
10. Abeer Alsheikh Abdulgadir

On 18 February, the NISS released eight University students from their custody after detaining them incommunicado for six days. The eight students were arrested on 12 February by the NISS from central Khartoum and detained incommunicado at an unknown location. The students are members of Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement/ North (SPLM/ N) affiliated with Malik Agar faction. Their names are:

1. Alkmaar Al-Safi (m)
2. Mohamed Abdulkariem (m)
3. Zahara Mursaal (f)
4. Arieeg Abdalla (f)
5. Jouhar Ibrahim (m)
6. Yasir Adam (m)
7. Hamza Ali (m)
8. Mahir Mohamed (m)

On 18 February, the NISS of Khartoum released 12 individuals from their custody after spending 11 days in detention. The 12 detainees were arrested on 7 February as they took part in a peaceful protest in Aljareef, in Khartoum and detained at the NISS offices in Khartoum Bahri. They include:

1. Ahmed Alsaid (m)
2. Abdulrahman “ Altash” (m)
3. Yahiya Alfahal (m)
4. Mohamed Nasur Eldien (m)
5. Mujtaba Mudardam (m)
6. Albraa Abdalla (m)
7. Alla Abdulrahim(f)
8. Muamar Algazafi Musa (m)
9. Mahmoud Sidig (m)
10. Younies Alnaiem (m)
11. Muatz Ahmed Anile (m)
12. Rania Musa (f)

On February 12, Ms. Rawa Jafar Bakhit, a human rights defender was released from NISS custody. Ms. Bakhit was arrested on 17 January 2018 as she took part in a protest in Omdurman. Whilst in detention, Ms. Bakhit was being held at the Omdurman Women’s Prison.

Detainees still in detention

From 6 January to 6 February, the security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained scores of Sudanese citizens including opposition political party leaders, human rights defenders/activists, journalists, student activists and others during a crackdown on peaceful protests that were sparked off by the announcement of new austerity measures at the beginning of 2018. About 82 detainees have been released following an announcement by the NISS however many more still remain in detention. ACJPS is currently aware of 71 Sudanese citizens including journalists, human rights defenders and opposition political party leaders in detention. Their names are on ACJPS file.

Background

On 18 February at 6 PM, a press conference was held at Kober Prison in Khartoum following an announcement from the media department of the National Intelligence and Security Services that mentioned the release of all detainees. Mr. Abdulrhman Alsadiq Almhadi, the Sudanese Presidential Assistant, announced the release 80 political detainees following a presidential directive. At about 9 PM, three hours after the press conference, the first set of detainees was released. It has however been observed that those released include female detainees, students and political leaders mainly from the opposition National Umma Party. Many opposition political leaders from the Sudanese Congress Party and Sudanese Communist Party and a few leaders from Al-Baath Party are still in detention, and in most cases incommunicado.

On 11 February, the President of Sudan returned Lt. Gen. Salah Abdallah Gosh to the position of Director of NISS. Mr. Abdallah previously served as Director of the NISS until 2009. On 22 November 2012, he was arrested and detained along with other security officials and accused of plotting a coup. He was released in early July 2013 on presidential pardon.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS).