Sudan
03.09.03
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: arrest, torture and risk of torture of 9 men accused of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army
Case SDN 030903
Arbitrary detention / Torture / 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 Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary detention and alleged torture and/or risk of torture of nine Sudanese men suspected of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army in Western and Northern Darfour, in Sudan.
According to the information received, the security forces of Alfashir in Northern Darfour have arrested 4 men from the Zakhawa tribe without any official charge. Sideag Altahir Tarjok, a 35-year-old lawyer from Alfashir Hey Algobba, was arrested without official charge on August 17th, 2003, and he is still being detained in the security office under suspicion of joining the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA). Sideag Altahir Tarjok has been denied visits from his family and lawyers and has been subjected to torture at the hands of the security officers, including floggings and being kicked and beaten. Abdel Rajeam Arja, a 34-year -old lawyer from Kotoum, was arrested in mid-June without official charge, under suspicion of joining and supporting the SLA. He has also been subjected to torture in the Alfashir prison; he has been beaten with sticks and flogged. Ali Mansour Maneas, a 48-year-old administrative officer in the Alfashir province, was arrested in the first week of July. He has since been detained in the Alfashir prison without any official charge. Mohamed Elias, a 33-year-old civil service worker, was arrested from his house in Hey Altiganya on August 17th 2003 without any official charge and is still being detained. Given the prison's reported history of ill treatment and torture of detainees, OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal integrity of these prisoners, who face a considerable risk of being subjected to torture while in detention.
Furthermore, military intelligence and security forces in Zalingy, Western Darfour, recently arrested five men from the Four tribe without any official charge. These comprise: on August 20th, 2003, Yagoub Khameas, Samear Ibraheam Abdel Malik, and Mohamed Nasrel Dean Mohamed Ahmed; and on August 25th, 2003, Ahmed Arbab Mohamed Joumaa and Musa Abdel Rahman Abaker. They are currently being detained at the Zalingy security forces’ detention facilities, and OMCT is gravely concerned for their personal integrity, as it has received reports and issued numerous urgent appeals concerning the systematic use of torture in detention facilities in Western Darfour.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the afore-mentioned detainees, given the reported torture to which those being held in Alfashir have been subjected by the security forces, and the risk of torture that they and those being held in Zalingy still face. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee the personal integrity of the detainees at all times, including access to appropriate medical assistance as required. OMCT further calls for their immediate release in the absence of legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards. OMCT condemns the security forces' use of arbitrary arrests and torture. OMCT therefore calls upon the authorities to launch an immediate and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and award adequate reparation to the victims.
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 Sideag Altahir Tarjok, Abdel Rajeam Arja, Ali Mansour Maneas, Mohamed Elias, Yagoub Khameas, Samear Ibraheam Abdel Malik, and Mohamed Nasrel Dean Mohamed Ahmed, Ahmed Arbab Mohamed Joumaa and Musa Abdel Rahman Abaker;
ii. intervene with the proper authorities to ensure that adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency to any of the above who require it;
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. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, notably the arbitrary arrests and the alleged use of torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
v. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the victims of these abuses;
vi. 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: +249 11 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.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, September 3rd, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary detention / Torture / 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 Sudanese Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary detention and alleged torture and/or risk of torture of nine Sudanese men suspected of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army in Western and Northern Darfour, in Sudan.
According to the information received, the security forces of Alfashir in Northern Darfour have arrested 4 men from the Zakhawa tribe without any official charge. Sideag Altahir Tarjok, a 35-year-old lawyer from Alfashir Hey Algobba, was arrested without official charge on August 17th, 2003, and he is still being detained in the security office under suspicion of joining the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA). Sideag Altahir Tarjok has been denied visits from his family and lawyers and has been subjected to torture at the hands of the security officers, including floggings and being kicked and beaten. Abdel Rajeam Arja, a 34-year -old lawyer from Kotoum, was arrested in mid-June without official charge, under suspicion of joining and supporting the SLA. He has also been subjected to torture in the Alfashir prison; he has been beaten with sticks and flogged. Ali Mansour Maneas, a 48-year-old administrative officer in the Alfashir province, was arrested in the first week of July. He has since been detained in the Alfashir prison without any official charge. Mohamed Elias, a 33-year-old civil service worker, was arrested from his house in Hey Altiganya on August 17th 2003 without any official charge and is still being detained. Given the prison's reported history of ill treatment and torture of detainees, OMCT is gravely concerned for the personal integrity of these prisoners, who face a considerable risk of being subjected to torture while in detention.
Furthermore, military intelligence and security forces in Zalingy, Western Darfour, recently arrested five men from the Four tribe without any official charge. These comprise: on August 20th, 2003, Yagoub Khameas, Samear Ibraheam Abdel Malik, and Mohamed Nasrel Dean Mohamed Ahmed; and on August 25th, 2003, Ahmed Arbab Mohamed Joumaa and Musa Abdel Rahman Abaker. They are currently being detained at the Zalingy security forces’ detention facilities, and OMCT is gravely concerned for their personal integrity, as it has received reports and issued numerous urgent appeals concerning the systematic use of torture in detention facilities in Western Darfour.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the afore-mentioned detainees, given the reported torture to which those being held in Alfashir have been subjected by the security forces, and the risk of torture that they and those being held in Zalingy still face. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee the personal integrity of the detainees at all times, including access to appropriate medical assistance as required. OMCT further calls for their immediate release in the absence of legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards. OMCT condemns the security forces' use of arbitrary arrests and torture. OMCT therefore calls upon the authorities to launch an immediate and impartial investigation into these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and award adequate reparation to the victims.
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 Sideag Altahir Tarjok, Abdel Rajeam Arja, Ali Mansour Maneas, Mohamed Elias, Yagoub Khameas, Samear Ibraheam Abdel Malik, and Mohamed Nasrel Dean Mohamed Ahmed, Ahmed Arbab Mohamed Joumaa and Musa Abdel Rahman Abaker;
ii. intervene with the proper authorities to ensure that adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency to any of the above who require it;
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. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, notably the arbitrary arrests and the alleged use of torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
v. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the victims of these abuses;
vi. 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: +249 11 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.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, September 3rd, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.