Sudan Organisation Against Torture

Human Rights Alert: 20 April 2005

Continual Arrest of Students

On 10 April 2005, security forces in Delanj, South Kordofan arrested two students. Their details are as follows:

1. Mohamed Mirghani Musa Yousif (22yrs), belonging to the Barjo tribe originally from Zalingy, West Darfur state, third year student at Delanj University and member of the Student Democratic Front. Mr. Mohamed was taken to security offices at Qaaar Hagar. Mr Mohamed remains in detention and his family have been denied access.

2. Yousif Dafalla, third year student at faculty of accountancy at Delanj University. Mr. Yousif was taken to security offices in Delanj where he remains in detention.

In a separate incident, on 19 April 2005, National Security Agency (NSA) agents arrested Mohammed Hassan Alim (22 yrs), second year student at Neilien University in Khartoum, Faculty of Engineering. Mr Mohammed was arrested at the entrance of the university. During the arrest, Mr. Mohammed was beaten with sticks. The whereabouts of Mr. Mohammed is unknown.

No reason was given for the arrest of these students; however, SOAT believes the students are being detained solely for the peaceful expression of their opinion during the demonstrations, which took place at Delanj University on 11 April and at the centre of Khartoum on 13 April 2005 against the conduct of Students Union Elections. The demonstrators accused the organisers of vote rigging.

SOAT lawyers are representing the above students and have logded a Complaint to the Advisory Council for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice.

SOAT condemns these arbitrary arrests and the continued harassment of students, which forms a pattern of disrupting their education. SOAT expresses fears for the safety of the students and calls on the GoS to give assurances that they will not be subjected to torture or ill-treatment.

International human rights law guarantees the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Article 20 of the Universal Declaration states; “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.” Article 21 of the Civil and Political Covenant secures the right to peaceful assembly and Article 22 protects freedom of association, which Sudan is state party to.

SOAT strongly urges the Government of Sudan to:

Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees;

Allow all detainees immediate and unrestricted access to their family and any medical treatment that they may require;

Ensure that all detainees has access to legal advice;

Order the immediate release of all the detainees 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;

Ensure respect for rights to fair trial and to legal appeal in accordance with international human rights standards, for all detainees throughout Sudan;

Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout Sudan in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards

His Excellency Field Marshal Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 783223

His Excellency Ali Osman Mohamed Taha
First Vice-President
People's Palace

PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 771025

Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 779383

Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 770883

Permanent Representative:

His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Ahmed Elhaj

Ambassador

Avenue Blanc 47

1202 Geneva

Tel: 022 731 26 63

Fax: 022 731 26 56

Email: [email protected]

SOAT is an international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

Argo House
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055
Fax: +44 (0)20 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.soatsudan.org

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