Sudan: three children tortured by armed forces

Case SDN 050504.CC Child Concern/Torture, inhuman and degrading treatment 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, of the torture of three Sudanese children by the armed forces in Sudan. On 19th March 2004, three children were arrested by the armed forces in Jeway Kheena village in suspicion of joining the armed rebellion. Their details are as follows: - Abdel Rahman Abaker Abdel Rahman, 17 years, student, Zaghawa tribe, - Zakaria Abdullah Abdel Kareem, 13 years, student, Zaghawa tribe, - Suleiman Adam Salih, 14 years, student, Zaghawa tribe, According to the source, they were detained in a military camp in Jeway Kheena village and it has been alleged that they have been subjected to torture by the military intelligence in Jeway Kheena. They were allegedly chained and beaten with the guns butts and flogged. At time of writing, there is no confirmed information whether they remain in detention or not. OMCT expresses its grave concern over these events. OMCT would like to recall Sudan, as a state party, that under article 37 (a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, “no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment […]”. Actions requested Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to: i. Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Abdel Rahman Abaker Abdel Rahman, Zakarea Abdella Abdel Kareem and Suleiman Adam Salih. ii. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of this event, notably the acts of torture under Abdel Rahman Abaker Abdel Rahman, Zakarea Abdella Abdel Kareem and Suleiman Adam Salih, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law. iii. 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, President' s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan Fax: + 24911 783223 . Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan Fax: + 24911 788941 . Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan Fax: + 24911 779383 . Mr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 24911 770883 . 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, May 5th, 2004 Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.