Sudan
25.09.03
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: arrest and risk of torture of student Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan
Case SDN 250903
Arbitrary detention / Risk of torture / 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 Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest and risk of torture of student Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan in Sudan.
According to the information received, on Wednesday, September 17th, 2003, Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan was arrested by the National Security Agency (NSA) in Atbara, northern Sudan. The arrest took place at 11 a.m. at the entrance of the Faculty of Education, Wadi Al Nile University in Atbara. He was taken to the NSA offices, and his friends were not allowed to see him. They have reason to fear that he is being subjected to torture due to the reputation of the National Security Agency. The NSA has recently arrested other students from the Faculty of Education, and has in several cases subjected them to torture – they include:
· Mohamed Babikr Awad, a second year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released on the August 26th, 2003. He was subjected to torture during detention.
· Hassan Al Shaique, a third year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released the same day. He was subjected to torture during detention.
· Badr Al Deen Awad Babikr, a final year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released on August 28th, 2003.
These student arrests show a marked repression of students' freedom of expression. The arrests have taken place since July 2003, when the Wadi Al Nile University administration issued a new academic examination system, which has led to student protests and the arrest of a number of students, some of whom have been subjected to torture. The university has also expelled and suspended a number of students.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan, especially in light of the allegations of the use of torture against other detained students, and urges the authorities to guarantee his personal integrity, release him immediately in absence of valid legal charges and launch an investigation into the afore-mentioned allegations of torture, in order to bring those responsible to justice and award adequate reparation to the victims of these acts.
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 Mr. Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, notably the allegations of the use of torture against student detainees, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
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
· President of the Republic of Sudan, His Excellency Lieutenant-General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President' s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +24911 771651/783223/779977
· First Vice-President, Mr Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, People's Palace PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax : +249 11 771651/ 779977
· Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 24911 788941/771479/774842/774906
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax :+249 11 779383
· Advisory Council for Human Rights, Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 11 779173/770883
· 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. 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, September 25th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary detention / Risk of torture / 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 Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest and risk of torture of student Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan in Sudan.
According to the information received, on Wednesday, September 17th, 2003, Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan was arrested by the National Security Agency (NSA) in Atbara, northern Sudan. The arrest took place at 11 a.m. at the entrance of the Faculty of Education, Wadi Al Nile University in Atbara. He was taken to the NSA offices, and his friends were not allowed to see him. They have reason to fear that he is being subjected to torture due to the reputation of the National Security Agency. The NSA has recently arrested other students from the Faculty of Education, and has in several cases subjected them to torture – they include:
· Mohamed Babikr Awad, a second year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released on the August 26th, 2003. He was subjected to torture during detention.
· Hassan Al Shaique, a third year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released the same day. He was subjected to torture during detention.
· Badr Al Deen Awad Babikr, a final year student, arrested on August 24th, 2003 and released on August 28th, 2003.
These student arrests show a marked repression of students' freedom of expression. The arrests have taken place since July 2003, when the Wadi Al Nile University administration issued a new academic examination system, which has led to student protests and the arrest of a number of students, some of whom have been subjected to torture. The university has also expelled and suspended a number of students.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan, especially in light of the allegations of the use of torture against other detained students, and urges the authorities to guarantee his personal integrity, release him immediately in absence of valid legal charges and launch an investigation into the afore-mentioned allegations of torture, in order to bring those responsible to justice and award adequate reparation to the victims of these acts.
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 Mr. Mohamed Saeif Al Dawla Ahmed Hassan;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, notably the allegations of the use of torture against student detainees, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
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
· President of the Republic of Sudan, His Excellency Lieutenant-General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President' s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +24911 771651/783223/779977
· First Vice-President, Mr Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, People's Palace PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax : +249 11 771651/ 779977
· Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 24911 788941/771479/774842/774906
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax :+249 11 779383
· Advisory Council for Human Rights, Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 11 779173/770883
· 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. 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, September 25th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.