SDN 001 / 0118 / OBS 005
Arbitrary detention /
Incommunicado detention
Sudan
January 11, 2018
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the FIDH, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) about
the arbitrary detention of Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman, two community leaders from Port Sudan, Red Sea state.
According to the information received, on December 11, 2017, Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman were summoned to National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) offices after leading a peaceful protest of the Bishareen tribe members against activities of the Sudanese mining company “Abor Shirish” contracted by the government to search for gold in a number of archaeological sites in Halayib locality, Red Sea state.
At the NISS offices of Port Sudan, Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman were forced to record statements indicating that they would desist from mobilising protests against the mining company, before being released the same day. Despite these statements, they continued to protest against the mining activities.
On 17 December 2017, the two leaders were intercepted by the NISS and arrested while they were travelling from Port Sudan to Halayib locality, accompanied by a delegation of archaeologists from the Sudanese Antiquities Department. The community leaders were then taken to the NISS offices in Port Sudan where they remained in detention until they were transferred to Khartoum on December 29, 2017, where they are still being held under NISS custody.
They were held incommunicado without charge being brought against them, nor being granted access to their lawyers and families until January 7, 2018, when they had access to one family visit. However, the transfer rom Port Sudan to Khartoum will hinder access of their families since Khartoum is approximately 800 kilometres from Port Sudan. They still have not had access to their lawyers.
The Observatory strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman lbagir Osman, as it clearly aimed at hindering their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities, and express its upmost concern for the use of incommunicado detention which significantly enhances vulnerability to torture and ill-treatment.
The Observatory calls upon Sudanese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman and in the meantime to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity and their right to a fair trial.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan asking them to:
Immediately and unconditionally release Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman and all human rights defenders detained in Sudan;
In the meantime, guarantee the right to due process and a fair trial of Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman;
Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Hashim Ali Ahmed and Osman Albagir Osman;
Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles 1, 6(c) and 12.2; and
More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Sudan.
Addresses:
· H.E Mr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, President of Sudan, Fax: +249183783223; Email: info@presidency.gov.sd
· Dr Idris Ibrahim Jameel, Minister of Justice, Fax: +24983791544 / +249183764168 / + 249183770883; Email: moj@moj.gov.sd
· Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Ghandour, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fax:+249183772941
· Gen. Dr. Hamid Manan Mohamed, Minister of Interior, Fax: +249183779383 / 249183776554; Email: ministry@mfa.gov.sd
· Advisory Council for Human rights, Rapporteur, Fax: + 249183770883
· H.E. Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail Elamin, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan United Nations in Geneva, Fax: +41227312656 / +41227161970; Email: mission.sudan@bluewinch.ch ,
· Embassy of Sudan in Brussels, Fax: +3226483499; Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Sudan in your respective country.