Pan African Advocacy Group: Presidential Directive pertaining to the release of Ibrahim al Shiekh

The Pan African Advocacy Group (PAAG)

Press Release No. 2

12 September 2014

The Presidential Directive pertaining to the release of Ibrahim al Shaikh

On September 10, 2014 (News Agencies) the head of the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP), Thabo Mbeki, said that Sudanese president, Omer al-Bashir, agreed to release, among other political detainees, jailed opposition leader Mr. Ibrahim al-Sheikh, leader of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP). Accordingly a presidential directive was said to have been issued to this effect. So far, aside from the release of Mariam al Sadig al Mahdi (Deputy Chairwoman of Umma Party), nothing has taken place with regard to either Mr. Ibrahim al Shaikh or any of the many political detainees of SCoP.

The PAAG raises its concern that the delay of implementing the presidential directive may prove to be the latest in a series of similar cases where presidential decrees and directive were effectively only on paper. News from al Ubayyid prison where Mr. al Shaikh is held in custody with seven members of SCoP who have been detained for months tell that Mr. al Shaikh has unofficially been notified that a special jet belonging to the security organ will transfer him to Khartoum within the very coming hours. Hereby PAAG expresses its deepest concerns to the safety of Mr. al Shaikh. It is worth mentioning that Mr. al Shaikh stands in court as defendant against the same security organs. This shows the blatant violation of the right of the defendant for impartial and fair trial. It is clear that the line dividing the judiciary from security is obliterated by the systematic encroachment of the latter.

Hereby, PAAG calls on all parties concerned to put more pressure on Khartoum so as to honour its promises and obligation and immediately release Mr. al Shaikh and the detainees of SCoP and all other political detainees. It also calls upon concerned parties to put similar pressure on Khartoum to guarantee the personal safety of Mr. al Shaikh and all other detainees. The security organs cannot play both the role of the judge and plaintiff.

Freedom for Ibrahim al Shaikh and all other political detainees in the Sudan!

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