Urgent: Ibrahim Elsheikh, leader of the Sudanese Congress Party arrested in West Kordufan

The Sudanese National Security Service arrested Ibrahim Elsheikh the leader of the Sudanese Congress Pray early morning today in Alnihud in Western Kordufan. A group of heavily armed security vehicles surrounded his residence from three o’clock in the morning before storming at five thirty after a directive from the central government in Khartoum to arrest and take him in custody.

Mr. Elsheikh was visiting Kordufan to follow a case of three local leaders of the party who were arrested last week after a peaceful demonstration in the town of Sodaari. They were summoned in front of a court within two hours after the demonstration without having the right to access a lawyer and jailed for one year.

The Sudanese Congress Party condemns the crackdown of the government of Sudan on the basic human rights of the Sudanese people for freedom of speech, religion and press.
Mr. Elsheikh was arrested last year on the 30th of September when he was calling for an end of violence against demonstrators when more than 200 citizens were killed by the national security forces assisted with Janjaweed militia in Khartoum.