The Arrest of Ammar Najm al-Din

The Arrest of Ammar Najm al-Din

Ammar Najm al-Din is the Secretary of Media and Culture for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Khartoum State. Sudanese security agents (known in Arabic as Jihaz al-Amn, “The Security Apparatus”) arrested Ammar on the morning of November 23rd, 2007 at Khartoum Airport as he was on his way to the Southern Sudanese capital, Juba. According to the Security Apparatus, he is being held in their custody, though no one has seen or spoken with him since that day. He has not been charged with any crime, nor has he been allowed to meet or speak with an attorney, family, or representatives from his political party. We are deeply concerned about Ammar’s wellbeing and call on human rights organizations and the international community to do everything in their power to see that he is provided with all rights guaranteed to political prisoners under relevant international human rights norms.
The following are the details of the case, as provided by those close to Ammar.
- On November 23, 2007, Ammar set off to Khartoum Airport in order to embark on a business trip to Juba. Between the hours of 6 and 8 AM, he was arrested by security agents. He managed to send a SMS text-message to a friend stating that he had been arrested. The friend saw the text message a few hours later but Ammar’s phone was turned off by the time he tried to call back.
- A security agent confirmed to Ammar’s wife that Ammar had indeed been arrested and gave her Ammar’s suitcase and belongings which he had with him at the airport. He said that she could enquire further with the “Security Information Office” (maktab isti’alamat jihaz al-amn) about Ammar’s situation.
- The Security Information Office initially could not confirm to Ammar’s wife whether he was arrested by the Security Apparatus or not. They informed her that they could only do so after three days.
- Three days later, the Security Information Office did indeed confirm that Ammar was held for investigation. They stated that no one would be allowed to visit him presently and they couldn’t say what he was charged with. They then told his wife to bring him a change of clothes, which she did.
- The Security Information Office said that no visits will be allowed before 15 days had passed since his arrest (i.e. roughly the 8th or 9th of December).
- Ammar’s wife has been in touch with a lawyer as well as SPLM executives. The SPLM has issued a statement regarding Ammar’s arrest (see attached translation) and has put forward requests for visits which the security forces have not answered.
We, the friends and family of Ammar, are gravely concerned about his safety and the lack of information of his whereabouts and condition. Ammar has previously been arrested for political activities and was the victim of physical torture (see Amnesty International Report, Index: AFR 54/019/2003, 9 April 2003; http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR54...2003?open&of=ENG-2F4. Prior to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January of 2005, arrests of political activists were common. Yet, since the CPA’s signing, the SPLM in particular has been granted considerable political freedoms. We are, therefore, extremely saddened at the government’s return to pre-CPA tactics of intimidating and harassing political activists, as evidenced in the arrest of Ammar.

We urge all human rights organizations and all concerned actors to join us in condemning the serious and systematic breach of fundamental civil and political rights which the case of Amar (and many other detainees) represents. We ask you to join our call to the government of Sudan to:

1. take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Ammar Najm al-Din;

2. immediately release Ammar in the absence of valid legal charges, or if legitimate charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times;

3. ensure that Ammar has access to legal counsel.

Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] for further information.

Arabic Forum