Sudan
14.02.02
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: Sanctions taken against student involved in Human Rights activities
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
SDN 001/ 0202 / OBS 012
Sanctions against students / Freedom of expression / Freedom of association
Sudan
14 February 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), of the twelve month suspension from college issued against Mrs. Tahani Ibrahim Ahmed, member of the SVTG student network.
According to the information received, on 2nd February 2002, Mrs. Tahani Ibrahim Ahmed, a first year student at the College of Technological Science in Omdurman, was suspended for 12 months from College for carrying out human rights activities. Allegedly, the reason for this suspension is that Mrs. Ibrahim Ahmed has formed a human rights group and she has spoken about women’s rights and CEDAW (Convention for the elimination of Discrimination Against Women) during a meeting organized by this group. She has received a warning that she will be dismissed if she continues to carry out her activities. To be re-admitted to college after the twelve month suspension period, she will have to sign a pledge to behave in accordance with the Student Discipline and Code of Conduct Act (2002) which prohibits students from taking part in human rights and political activities. Mr. Amir Suleiman, her lawyer, has lodged an appeal before the college administration and has expressed his willingness to take the case before the Constitutional Court if necessary.
Other students who belong to the Student Democratic Front have also been suspended or dismissed lately on the same grounds, that is for engaging in political activities. These include: Walid Sideig Mohamed, Adam Fadl Allah Adam, Husam El-din Abdullah, Allah El-din Mustafa Mohammed Ali, Ghosai El-nour Mohammed Ahmed and Mohammad Al-Hadi Suleiman.
The Observatory is concerned about this wave of dismissals and suspensions based on the Student Discipline and Code of Conduct Act which contradict the academic freedom and the freedom of association and of expression.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
§ reinstate Mrs. Ibrahim Ahmed and allow her to carry out her human rights activities in conformity with human rights instruments and standards;
§ put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
§ ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1);
§ ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses:
· His Excellency Ambassador Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Case Postal 335, 1211 Geneva 19, fax : 0041 (0) 22 731 26 56, email: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
· 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
· 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)
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Given the lack of working fax numbers for the government officials above, please send the appeals by standard mail and also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 14 February 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
SDN 001/ 0202 / OBS 012
Sanctions against students / Freedom of expression / Freedom of association
Sudan
14 February 2002
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), of the twelve month suspension from college issued against Mrs. Tahani Ibrahim Ahmed, member of the SVTG student network.
According to the information received, on 2nd February 2002, Mrs. Tahani Ibrahim Ahmed, a first year student at the College of Technological Science in Omdurman, was suspended for 12 months from College for carrying out human rights activities. Allegedly, the reason for this suspension is that Mrs. Ibrahim Ahmed has formed a human rights group and she has spoken about women’s rights and CEDAW (Convention for the elimination of Discrimination Against Women) during a meeting organized by this group. She has received a warning that she will be dismissed if she continues to carry out her activities. To be re-admitted to college after the twelve month suspension period, she will have to sign a pledge to behave in accordance with the Student Discipline and Code of Conduct Act (2002) which prohibits students from taking part in human rights and political activities. Mr. Amir Suleiman, her lawyer, has lodged an appeal before the college administration and has expressed his willingness to take the case before the Constitutional Court if necessary.
Other students who belong to the Student Democratic Front have also been suspended or dismissed lately on the same grounds, that is for engaging in political activities. These include: Walid Sideig Mohamed, Adam Fadl Allah Adam, Husam El-din Abdullah, Allah El-din Mustafa Mohammed Ali, Ghosai El-nour Mohammed Ahmed and Mohammad Al-Hadi Suleiman.
The Observatory is concerned about this wave of dismissals and suspensions based on the Student Discipline and Code of Conduct Act which contradict the academic freedom and the freedom of association and of expression.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
§ reinstate Mrs. Ibrahim Ahmed and allow her to carry out her human rights activities in conformity with human rights instruments and standards;
§ put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
§ ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1);
§ ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses:
· His Excellency Ambassador Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Case Postal 335, 1211 Geneva 19, fax : 0041 (0) 22 731 26 56, email: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
· 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
· 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)
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Given the lack of working fax numbers for the government officials above, please send the appeals by standard mail and also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 14 February 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29