Sudan
12.07.06
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: Arbitrary arrest and torture in Kosti
Case SDN 120706 - Arbitrary arrest / Torture / Impunity
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
h3>Brief description of the situationThe International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir (33 yrs) by two armed men from the Police Investigation Force (PIF) in Elsnwse and Abutalib, Kosti, on 14 June 2006 at 04.00 am.
According to the information received, Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir, a housewife and mother of two children who was arrested whilst being at home, was brought to the police custody centre in Tendelti city, 80 km from Kosti. There she was questioned by an officer who introduced himself as Lieutenant Tamem about the whereabouts of her uncle, Mr. Adam. Ms. Eltahir informed the officer that she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of her uncle. On the same day, 14 June 2006, at 10.00 am, PIF officer Waleed brought Ms. Elthahir from the police custody centre to the PIF offices, situated in a different section of the building.
It is reported that Ms. Eltahir was subjected to severe torture whilst being in the PIF office. The PIF officers interogated Ms. Eltahir and ordered her to confess that she had witnessed her uncle murdering a stranger, which she refused. The name of the person murdered was not provided by the PIF officers. Following her refusal to confess to have witnessed the alleged murder, PIF officer Waleed and a second Officer named Galal, in the presence of Officer Elsanwse Abutalib and Officer Mohammed Dod, tied her hands and legs. The officers then inserted a stick between her legs and used the stick to hang Ms. Eltahir upside down between two chairs. Ms. Eltahir was then blindfolded and the officers proceeded to lash her feet with a water hosepipe for approximately 30 minutes. After the lashing, the officers’ untied Ms. Eltahir’s legs and ordered her to walk and jump, which she was unable to do due to the injuries on her feet sustained from the lashing. Following this, the officers removed her blindfold, and ordered Ms. Eltahir again to confess to have witnessed her uncle murdering the stranger, which she refused again. The officers then placed Ms. Eltahir on her back on the floor after which Officer Galal produced a bottle containing chilli sauce and threatened to pour the contents inside her genitals if she did not confess.
According to the information received, at 14:00 pm on 14 June 2006, the PIF officers took Ms. Eltahir back into police custody where she remained in detention. The following day, 15 June 2006, Ms. Eltahir was transferred to the PIF office for the second time where she was again subjected to torture and threatened. The officers beat Ms. Eltahir’s back with a stick. On Friday, 16 June 2006, Ms Eltahir was released on bail. Currently no charges are held against her.
It is reported that Ms. Eltahir’s husband took her to the Attorney General’s office in Kosti to file an assault complaint on 17 June 2006. The Attorney General’s office issued a Form 8 to Ms. Eltahir before referring her to Kosti hospital. At the hospital, the doctors confirmed that injuries on Ms. Eltahir’s hips, feet and back were consistent with severe lashing. SOAT’s Lawyer Network in Kosti is providing legal aid to Ms. Eltahir.
The International Secretariat of OMCT together with SOAT urges the Sudanese Government to immediately undertake its responsibility to “guarantee, protect and implement” the Bill of Rights (Article 27 (2)) and to disseminate the Bill of Rights guaranteed by the Interim Constitution across the country and to its security apparatus including Article 33 of the Constitution which provides that “No person shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” and urges the government to abide by this anti-torture principle as enshrined in the Constitution. In addition, OMCT and SOAT call on the government to undertake a comprehensive reform of its security organs as provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
1. Ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir;
2. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into all these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir;
4. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards;
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
***
Geneva, 12 July 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
h3>Brief description of the situationThe International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir (33 yrs) by two armed men from the Police Investigation Force (PIF) in Elsnwse and Abutalib, Kosti, on 14 June 2006 at 04.00 am.
According to the information received, Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir, a housewife and mother of two children who was arrested whilst being at home, was brought to the police custody centre in Tendelti city, 80 km from Kosti. There she was questioned by an officer who introduced himself as Lieutenant Tamem about the whereabouts of her uncle, Mr. Adam. Ms. Eltahir informed the officer that she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of her uncle. On the same day, 14 June 2006, at 10.00 am, PIF officer Waleed brought Ms. Elthahir from the police custody centre to the PIF offices, situated in a different section of the building.
It is reported that Ms. Eltahir was subjected to severe torture whilst being in the PIF office. The PIF officers interogated Ms. Eltahir and ordered her to confess that she had witnessed her uncle murdering a stranger, which she refused. The name of the person murdered was not provided by the PIF officers. Following her refusal to confess to have witnessed the alleged murder, PIF officer Waleed and a second Officer named Galal, in the presence of Officer Elsanwse Abutalib and Officer Mohammed Dod, tied her hands and legs. The officers then inserted a stick between her legs and used the stick to hang Ms. Eltahir upside down between two chairs. Ms. Eltahir was then blindfolded and the officers proceeded to lash her feet with a water hosepipe for approximately 30 minutes. After the lashing, the officers’ untied Ms. Eltahir’s legs and ordered her to walk and jump, which she was unable to do due to the injuries on her feet sustained from the lashing. Following this, the officers removed her blindfold, and ordered Ms. Eltahir again to confess to have witnessed her uncle murdering the stranger, which she refused again. The officers then placed Ms. Eltahir on her back on the floor after which Officer Galal produced a bottle containing chilli sauce and threatened to pour the contents inside her genitals if she did not confess.
According to the information received, at 14:00 pm on 14 June 2006, the PIF officers took Ms. Eltahir back into police custody where she remained in detention. The following day, 15 June 2006, Ms. Eltahir was transferred to the PIF office for the second time where she was again subjected to torture and threatened. The officers beat Ms. Eltahir’s back with a stick. On Friday, 16 June 2006, Ms Eltahir was released on bail. Currently no charges are held against her.
It is reported that Ms. Eltahir’s husband took her to the Attorney General’s office in Kosti to file an assault complaint on 17 June 2006. The Attorney General’s office issued a Form 8 to Ms. Eltahir before referring her to Kosti hospital. At the hospital, the doctors confirmed that injuries on Ms. Eltahir’s hips, feet and back were consistent with severe lashing. SOAT’s Lawyer Network in Kosti is providing legal aid to Ms. Eltahir.
The International Secretariat of OMCT together with SOAT urges the Sudanese Government to immediately undertake its responsibility to “guarantee, protect and implement” the Bill of Rights (Article 27 (2)) and to disseminate the Bill of Rights guaranteed by the Interim Constitution across the country and to its security apparatus including Article 33 of the Constitution which provides that “No person shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” and urges the government to abide by this anti-torture principle as enshrined in the Constitution. In addition, OMCT and SOAT call on the government to undertake a comprehensive reform of its security organs as provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Requested Action
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:1. Ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir;
2. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into all these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to Ms. Aisa Mohammed Elnaseem Eltahir;
4. 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, Presidential Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 783 223
- His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 11 779977 / 771025
- His Excellency Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 10 25
- Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 78 07 96
- Mr Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs/External Relations, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 93 83
- Mr. Al Zubeir Beshir Taha, Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Interior, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 93 83
- Dr Nafie Ali Nafie, Minister of Federal Government, Office of the Presidents People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 117 71 651/ 78 32 23
- Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Head of the Advisory Council for Human Rights PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 770 883
- Dr Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, Rapporteur, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 08 83
- Prof. Ali Mohamed Ali Shommou, The National Press and Publications Council, P O Box 11111, Osman Digna St., Khartoum East Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 19 25
- His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Ahmed Elhaj, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Avenue Blanc 47, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 731 26 63, Fax: +41 22 731 26 56, Email: mission.sudan@bluewin.ch / mission.sudan@ties.itu.int
- The Embassy of Sudan in Brussels, Mr. Ali Yousif Ahmed, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 124, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Tel.: + 32 2 647 51 59 / 94 94, Fax: + 32 (2) 648 34 99, Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
***
Geneva, 12 July 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.