Sudan
09.02.04
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: arbitrary arrest and risk of torture of members of the Fur tribe
Case SDN 090204
Arbitrary arrest and detention / Risk of torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in the Sudan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the
Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT
network, of the arbitrary arrest of six fur tribe members in Khartoum
and Zalingy and the continuing risk of ill-treatment and/or torture
of four of them in Southern Darfur, Sudan.
According to the information received, on January 31st, 2004, members
of the National Security Agency (NSA) arrested: 1) Dafa'allah
Abdullah Suleiman, an employee at the Agricultural bank in Khartoum,
arrested in Khartoum; 2) Abubakr Sharaf Al Din, a high ranking police
officer, arrested in Khartoum; 3) Ahmed Hassan, an employee at the
Bank of Khartoum, arrested in Zalingy; 4) Ahmed Al Tahir Ahmed Shata,
arrested in Zalingy; 5) Tariq Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, a graduate
from the University of Sudan, arrested in Khartoum; and 6) Mohamed
Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, a final year student at the University of
Sudan, arrested in Khartoum.
The latter two, Tariq Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin and Mohamed Abu Al
Gasim Saif Aldin, are brothers and were released on February 3rd,
2004. They were reportedly questioned about their sister, Eman, who
recently married the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA),
Abd Al Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Al Nur. The other detainees were
reportedly arrested and are being detained by the National Security
Agency on suspicion of supporting the SLA.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the
physical and psychological integrity of the four fur tribe members
who have been arbitrarily arrested and are at risk of being subjected
to ill-treatment and/or torture. OMCT recalls that National Security
officers and the military intelligence in Darfur are reported to have
systematically used torture and ill-treatment against suspected
members and supporters of the SLA. Detainees have reported being held
in appalling, overcrowded conditions at security detention centres,
with very poor food and no access to their families or their lawyers.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of Dafa'allah Abdullah Suleiman, Abubakr
Sharaf Al Din, Ahmed Hassan, and Ahmed Al Tahir Ahmed Shata;
ii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure
that those detained be allowed to meet with their relatives and
lawyers;
iii. order their immediate release in the absence of legal charges
that are consistent with international law and standards or, if such
charges exist, bring them before
an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural
rights at all times;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international human rights
standards.
Addresses
· His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President
of the Republic of Sudan, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum,
Sudan, Telex: 22385
PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD- Fax: +249 11 771 7 24
· Mr. Ali Osman Yasin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General,
Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex:22459 KHRJA SD or 22461
KHRJA SD (via Ministry of
Foreign Affairs) - Fax: +249 11 7740 63
· Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Telex: 22459 KHRJA SD
or 22461 KHRJA SD -
Fax: 249 11 7740 63
· His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent
Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO
Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +4122 731 26 56, E-mail:
mission.sudan@ties.itu.int; mission.sudan@bluewin.ch.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective
country.
Geneva, February 9th, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary arrest and detention / Risk of torture
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in the Sudan.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the
Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT
network, of the arbitrary arrest of six fur tribe members in Khartoum
and Zalingy and the continuing risk of ill-treatment and/or torture
of four of them in Southern Darfur, Sudan.
According to the information received, on January 31st, 2004, members
of the National Security Agency (NSA) arrested: 1) Dafa'allah
Abdullah Suleiman, an employee at the Agricultural bank in Khartoum,
arrested in Khartoum; 2) Abubakr Sharaf Al Din, a high ranking police
officer, arrested in Khartoum; 3) Ahmed Hassan, an employee at the
Bank of Khartoum, arrested in Zalingy; 4) Ahmed Al Tahir Ahmed Shata,
arrested in Zalingy; 5) Tariq Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, a graduate
from the University of Sudan, arrested in Khartoum; and 6) Mohamed
Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin, a final year student at the University of
Sudan, arrested in Khartoum.
The latter two, Tariq Abu Al Gasim Saif Aldin and Mohamed Abu Al
Gasim Saif Aldin, are brothers and were released on February 3rd,
2004. They were reportedly questioned about their sister, Eman, who
recently married the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA),
Abd Al Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Al Nur. The other detainees were
reportedly arrested and are being detained by the National Security
Agency on suspicion of supporting the SLA.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the
physical and psychological integrity of the four fur tribe members
who have been arbitrarily arrested and are at risk of being subjected
to ill-treatment and/or torture. OMCT recalls that National Security
officers and the military intelligence in Darfur are reported to have
systematically used torture and ill-treatment against suspected
members and supporters of the SLA. Detainees have reported being held
in appalling, overcrowded conditions at security detention centres,
with very poor food and no access to their families or their lawyers.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of Dafa'allah Abdullah Suleiman, Abubakr
Sharaf Al Din, Ahmed Hassan, and Ahmed Al Tahir Ahmed Shata;
ii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure
that those detained be allowed to meet with their relatives and
lawyers;
iii. order their immediate release in the absence of legal charges
that are consistent with international law and standards or, if such
charges exist, bring them before
an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural
rights at all times;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental
freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international human rights
standards.
Addresses
· His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President
of the Republic of Sudan, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum,
Sudan, Telex: 22385
PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD- Fax: +249 11 771 7 24
· Mr. Ali Osman Yasin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General,
Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex:22459 KHRJA SD or 22461
KHRJA SD (via Ministry of
Foreign Affairs) - Fax: +249 11 7740 63
· Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Telex: 22459 KHRJA SD
or 22461 KHRJA SD -
Fax: 249 11 7740 63
· His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent
Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO
Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +4122 731 26 56, E-mail:
mission.sudan@ties.itu.int; mission.sudan@bluewin.ch.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective
country.
Geneva, February 9th, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.