Ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Osman Salih, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, and Mr. Amjed Fareed, and release of Mohammed Abdulmonim.
New information
SDN 002 / 0218 / OBS 017.2
Incommunicado detention /
Ill-treatment /
Arbitrary detention /
Release
Sudan
March 13, 2018
The Observatory for the Protectionof Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in Sudan.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed bythe African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) about the ongoingarbitrary detention of Mr. Osman Salih, lawyer, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman,Vice-Chairperson of the Darfur Bar Association and Mr. Amjed Fareed, bloggerand human rights defender as well as of the release of Mohammed Abdulmonim,freelance journalist.
According to the informationreceived, on March 11, 2018, Mr. Osman Salih was transferred to the policehospital in Al Obeid due to high blood sugar levels causing stomach problems.His wife was able to visit him although only in presence of a NationalIntelligence Security Service (NISS) official who keeps him under constantsurveillance. It has been reported that Mr. Osman Salih is diabetic and only hadaccess to his medicine after three days in detention.
Mr. Osman Salih has been arrested bythe NISS on January 10, 2018 along with seven other individuals from theAlhuria Square in Al Obeid, North Kordofan as they participated in a peacefulprotest against the increase in prices of basic commodities. Subsequently, Mr.Osman Salih was brought to the NISS offices in Al Obeid together with the otherindividuals. The NISS in Al Obeid carried out the arrest and took them to theiroffices.
On January 15, 2018, the securitycommittee of Al Obeid ordered that Mr. Osman Salish would be detained under theemergency law for six months and transferred from the NISS offices to Al Obeidprison. Two applications for family visits were denied.
Moreover, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman,Vice-Chairperson of the Darfur Bar Association and Mr. Amjed Fareed, bloggerand human rights defender have been respectively detained since February 1, andJanuary 18, 2018. Yet no information about charges levelled against them havebeen disclosed to date.
The Observatory underlines thatthese arrests and detentions occur in reaction to nation-wide demonstrationsthat began on January 6, 2018 and were set off by the announcement of Sudan’s2018 budget and the lifting of subsidies and measures, effectively triplingSudan’s U.S. dollar exchange rate and increasing the price of basiccommodities. Sudanese authorities have carried out a campaign of massivearrests and detentions, including political party leaders, journalists,students, human rights defenders and other individuals for their involvement inthe protests@font-face { font-family: "Arial";}@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math";}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoFootnoteText, li.MsoFootnoteText, div.MsoFootnoteText { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 14.15pt; text-indent: -14.15pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }span.MsoFootnoteReference { vertical-align: super; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }span.NotedebasdepageCar { }.MsoChpDefault { font-size: 10pt; }div.WordSection1 { }[1].@font-face { font-family: "Arial";}@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math";}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoFootnoteText, li.MsoFootnoteText, div.MsoFootnoteText { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 14.15pt; text-indent: -14.15pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }span.MsoFootnoteReference { vertical-align: super; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }span.NotedebasdepageCar { }.MsoChpDefault { font-size: 10pt; }div.WordSection1 { }The police and the NISShave used excessive force to disperse and arrest protesters, including thereported use of tear gas and beatings with sticks and water hose pipes[2].
The Observatory strongly condemnsand reiterates its concerns over the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. SalihMahmoud Osman, Mr. Amjed Fareed and Mr. Osman Salih, and recalls that thissituation significantly enhances their vulnerability to ill-treatment.
The Observatory urges Sudaneseauthorities to immediately and unconditionally release them, as their detentionis arbitrary and clearly aims at punishing their peaceful and legitimate humanrights activities. In the meantime, the Observatory urges Sudanese authoritiesto guarantee their physical and psychological integrity and to respect theirright to a fair trial, including unhindered access to their lawyers andfamilies.
Background information:
On January 16, 2018, Ms. NahidJabrallah and Ms. Amel Habani were arrested in Khartoum as they were takingpart in such peaceful protests. Both were detained by the NISS at the OmdurmanWomen’s Prison, in Khartoum. Moreover, Ms. Nahid Jabrallah was detainedincommunicado since her arrest despite particularly delicate health conditionsas she was involved in a car accident prior to her arrest.
Acts of ill-treatment against Ms.Amel Habani have been reported as she was allegedly beaten with an electric rodduring interrogation. On January 29, 2018, she was allowed a visit from hermother and her two children in the presence of NISS agents but was denied avisit from her husband and did not have access to her lawyer while detained. Aconstitutional appeal contesting the lawfulness of her detention was filed onFebruary 5, 2018 on her behalf against the Government of Sudan and the NISS andis still pending to date.
On January 17, 2018, Ms. Rawa JaafarBakhit and Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma were arrested as they were taking partin other protests in Omdurman. Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma was detained atShalla prison, in North Darfur, where he was transferred on January 26.
On January 18, 2018, Mr. AmjedFareed was arrested from his home in Khartoum and has since been detainedincommunicado within the NISS premises in Khartoum.
On January 31, 2018, Ms. HananHassan Khalifa was detained in Khartoum Bahri at a police/NISS checkpoint inthe main street targeting the people heading to join a protest and was furtherdetained incommunicado the Omdurman Women’s Prison, in Khartoum.
On the same day, Mr. Ahmed Jadeenand Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim were arrested in Khartoum Bahri while they werecovering protests. Both journalists had been monitoring and documenting casesof detainees in connection with the protests. They are being detained at theNISS political section in Khartoum Bahari.
On February 1, 2018, Mr. SalihMahmoud Osman was arrested from his office in Khartoum and has been detainedincommunicado within the NISS premises in Khartoum since.
On February 12, 2018, Ms. Rawa JaafarBakhit was released from the Omdurman Women’s Prison, in Khartoum where she hadbeen detained incommunicado since January 17, 2018.
On February 18, 2018, Ms. NahidJabrallah, Ms. Amel Habani and Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa were released followinga NISS press conference at Kober Prison in Khartoum Bahari, where they had beentransferred earlier on the same day for that occasion. All three werepreviously held at the Omdurman Women’s Prison, in Khartoum where they had beendetained by the NISS. Ms. Nahid Jabrallah and Ms. Amel Habani had been arrestedin Khartoum on January 16, 2018 while they were taking part in peacefulprotests. Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa had been arrested on January 31, 2018, inKhartoum Bahri at a police/NISS checkpoint in the main street targeting thepeople heading to join a protest. Ms. Nahid Jabrallah and Ms. Hanan HassanKhalifa were detained incommunicado and acts of ill-treatment against Ms. AmelHabani had been reported during her interrogation.
On February 19, 2018, Mr. Mohamed AbdallahAldouma was released from Kober Prison where he was transferred three hoursbefore from Shalla prison, North Darfur, after more than a month of arbitraryincommunicado detention.
On February 25, 2018, Mr. AhmedJadeen was released.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities ofSudan asking them to:
i. Guaranteethe physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Mr. AmjedFareed and Mr. Osman Salih, as well as of all human rights defenders in Sudan;
ii. Immediatelyand unconditionally release Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Mr. Amjed Fareed and Mr.Osman Salih, and all detained human rights defenders in Sudan as theirarbitrary detention is merely aimed at punishing them for their legitimatehuman rights activities;
iii. Inthe meantime, guarantee the right to due process and fair trial of Mr. SalihMahmoud Osman, Mr. Amjed Fareed and Mr. Osman Salih, including the unhinderedaccess to their lawyers and family;
iv. Carryout an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into allegedabove-mentioned acts of ill-treatment against Ms. Amel Habani in order to bringall those responsible before a competent tribunal in accordance withinternational standards;
i. Putan end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr.Osman Salih, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Ms. RawaJaafar Bakhit, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen, Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim, Ms. Nahid Jabrallah,Ms. Amel Habani and Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, and all human rights defenders inSudan so that they are able to carry out their work without hindrance or fearof reprisals;
ii. Conformwith the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted bythe General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especiallyArticles 1, 6(c) and 12.2; and
iii. Moregenerally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights andfundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of HumanRights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified bySudan.
Addresses:
• H.EMr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, President of Sudan, Fax: +249183783223; Email:info@presidency.gov.sd
• DrIdris Ibrahim Jameel, Minister of Justice, Fax: +24983791544 / +249183764168 /+ 249183770883; Email: moj@moj.gov.sd
• Mr.Ibrahim Ahmed Ghandour, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fax:+249183772941
• Gen.Dr. Hamid Manan Mohamed, Minister of Interior, Fax: +249183779383 /249183776554; Email: ministry@mfa.gov.sd
• AdvisoryCouncil for Human rights, Rapporteur, Fax: + 249183770883
• H.E.Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail Elamin, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Republicof Sudan United Nations in Geneva, Fax: +41227312656 / +41227161970; Email:mission.sudan@bluewinch.ch,
• Embassyof Sudan in Brussels, Fax: +3226483499; Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com
Please also write to the diplomaticmissions or embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
***
Geneva-Paris, March 13, 2018
Kindly inform us of any actionundertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protectionof Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the FIDH. The objective of thisprogramme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression againsthuman rights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented byinternational civil society.
To contact the Observatory, call theemergency line:
• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
• Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / +41 22 809 49 29
• Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 /+33 1 43 55 18 80
[1] For moreinformation, see the Joint open letter concerning thecrackdown on peaceful protests and the wave of arbitrary arrests and continuedincommunicado detentions by Sudanese government forces,February 14, 2018.
[2] For more information, see forinstance ACJPSStatement, February 7, 2018 and OMCT Press Release, Sudan: Escalating governmentcrackdown on protesters sparks greater safety concerns,January 30, 2018.