Sudan: Arbitrary detention of leading members of the Beja Congress.

Case SDN 070406

Arbitrary Detention / Risk of Torture

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sudan.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, that in March and April 2006 the mass arrest of the leading members of the Beja Congress by Security Officers in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan, took place.

According to the information received, the arrest of these twelve men could result in what appears to be the crackdown of the group. No reason was given for the arrest and the detention.

The following members of the Beja Congress were allegedly arrested in the Red Sea State between 6 and 10 March 2006:

• Mr. Osman Hassan Al-masri, General Secretary of the Beja Congress in Gadarif State - arrested in Gadarif State on 06 March 2006
  
• Mr. Alamin Alhaj, Chairperson of the Beja Congress in Gadarif State – arrested in Gadarif State on 06 March 2006
  
• Mr. Ali Hussain Omer Member of the Beja Congress Secretariat in Kassala State – arrested in Kassala on 07 March 2006 – transferred form security detention to Kassala Prison, began a hunger strike on 26 March 2006
  
• Mr. Ali Omer, Member of the Beja Congress Secretariat in Kassala State – arrested in Kassala on 08 March 2006
  
• Mr. Mahmoud Ibrahim Osman, Assistant General Secretary of the Beja Congress in Kassala State – arrested in Kassala on 10 March 2006
  
• Mr. Ali Omer Mohamed Ali, Member of the Eastern Front – arrested on 07 March 2006, began a hunger strike in Kassala on 26 March 2006
  
• Mr. Haroun Mohamed Ali, Member of Eastern Front– arrested in Kassala on 07 March 2006, began a hunger strike on 26 March 2006

Moreover, on 3 and 4 April 2006, the following members of the Beja Congress were arrested:

• Mr. Mohamed Din Suleiman, Chairperson of the Secretariat of the Beja Congress in Kassala State – arrested on 03 April 2006
  
• Mr. Gafar Mohamed Adam, General Secretary of the Beja Congress in Kassala State General – arrested on 03 April 2006, previously arrested on 10 March 2006
  
• Mr. Mohamed Osman Alkhalifa, Member of the Beja Secretariat in Kassala State – arrested in Kassala on 03 April 2006
  
• Mr. Alamin Alfaidabi, Member of the Secretariat– arrested in Kassala on 04 April 2006
  
• Mr. Hashim Hangag, Lawyer, Spokesperson for the Beja Congress in Kassala State – arrested on 04 April 2006. Mr. Hashim Hangag was also previously arrested in Kassala on 10 March 2006.

The International Secretariat has no information regarding their places of detention.

The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the abovementioned persons and calls for an immediate and impartial investigation into their arbitrary detention.

Requested Action

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the above mentioned persons;
2. Ensure the immediate release of all persons arrested in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, ensure that they are given a prompt and fair trial, in which their procedural rights are guaranteed at all time;
3. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
4. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international humanitarian law and human rights standards.

Addresses

• Minister of Internal Affairs, Major General Abdul-Rahim Muhammed Hussein, Ministry of Interior, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 11 774339 / 776554 / 777900 / 773046 / 770186
  
  
• Minister of Federal Government, Dr Nafie Ali Nafie, Office of the Presidents People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +24911 771651/783223
  
  
• His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Al-Hassan Ahmed Al-Haj, 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 .
  
  
• Head of the Advisory Council for Human Rights, Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 770 883
  
  
• Advisory Council for Human Rights, Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Rapporteur, PO Box 302, Khartoum (Sudan), Fax No.: + 249 183 77 08 83 / 11 779173
  
  
• The National Press and Publications Council, Prof. Ali Mohamed Ali Shommou, P O Box 11111, Osman Digna St., Khartoum East Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 19 25
  
  
• H.E. 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, Fax: +41 22 731 26 56, Email: mission.sudan@bluewin.ch / mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
  
  
• The Embassy of Sudan in Bruxelles, Mr. Ali Yousif Ahmed, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 124; 1050 Bruxelles. Tel.:0032 (2) 647 51 59 / 0032 (2) 647 94 94, Fax: 0032 (2) 648 34 99, Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com

Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.

***
Geneva, 07 April 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.