Sudan: Security apparatus releases dozens of political detainees

11:21 PM February, 19 2018

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February 19 - 2018andnbsp;KHARTOUM NORTH

Political detainees released in Khartoum, February 18, 2018 (Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters)
The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) released more than 80 political detainees in Khartoum on Sunday. Relatives of four detained journalists handed a petition to the Sudanese Press Council.
Dozens of families of the detainees and journalists gatheredandnbsp;at the gate of Kober Prison in Khartoum North on Sunday afternoon after the NISS media department announced the imminent release of political detainees.
At 8 pm, the first detainees appeared outside the prison, amid cheers and calls for freedom, peace, justice, and closure of the prison.
At aandnbsp;http://suna-sd.net/suna/showNews/375798/enpress conference at Kober Prisonandnbsp;on Sunday evening, Presidential Aide Abdelrahman El Mahdi reported that President Omar Al Bashir ordered the release of all political detainees in the country.
He said that more than 80 detainees were released from Kober Prison. The other detainees will be released “after the procedures are completed”.
Security forces detainedandnbsp;hundreds of activists and politiciansandnbsp;during protests against new austerity measures and the skyrocketing prices of basic consumer goods in January.
In particularandnbsp;leading opposition members were held during demonstrations in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum Bahri (North)andnbsp;organised by their parties. A number of them were transferred from the Sudanese capital toandnbsp;prisons in Darfur, and fromandnbsp;Sennar to Khartoum.
Journalists covering the protests wereandnbsp;also arrested, includingandnbsp;correspondents of AFP and Reuters. Newspapers wereandnbsp;gagged.
The EUandnbsp;and theandnbsp;US Embassy in Sudanandnbsp;have expressed their concern about the wave of political detentions in January.andnbsp;Sudanese and international organisationsandnbsp;have called for the immediate release of the political detainees.
Journalists

On Sunday morning, relatives of four journalists held by the NISS handed a memorandum demanding their release to the Sudanese Press and Publications Council.
Freelance journalist and activistandnbsp;Amal Habaniandnbsp;and correspondent for the communistandnbsp;El Midanandnbsp;newspaper, Kamal Karrar, were held by NISS agents when they were covering aandnbsp;protest march in Khartoumandnbsp;on January 16.andnbsp;
Habani (who was awarded anandnbsp;Amnesty International prizeandnbsp;for her human rights reporting in Sudan)andnbsp;was reportedlyandnbsp;hitandnbsp;with an electric baton during an interrogation.
El Jareedaandnbsp;reporterandnbsp;Ahmed Jadein was detainedandnbsp;during an anti-price hike demonstration in Khartoum North on January 31. Journalist El Haji Abdelrahman El Moz ofandnbsp;Akhbar El Yowmandnbsp;daily newspaperandnbsp;was arrested by NISS agentsandnbsp;without an explanation on 6 February.

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