SDN 002 / 0218 / OBS 017
Incommunicado detention /
Ill-treatment /
Arbitrary detention
Sudan
February 8, 2018
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been
informed by the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies
(ACJPS) about the incommunicado detention of Ms. Nahid
Jabrallah, Director of the Sima Centre for Training and Protection of Women
and Children’s Rights based in Khartoum, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Chairperson of the Darfur Bar
Association, Mr. Salih
Mahmoud Osman, Vice-Chairperson of
the Darfur Bar Association, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, human rights lawyer, Ms. Rawa
Jaafar Bakhit, advocate for the rights of displaced families, Mr. Amjed Fareed, blogger and human rights
defender, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen,
journalist with Aljareeda newspaper,
and Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim,
freelance journalist, as well as of the arbitrary detention of Ms. Amel
Habani, award-winning
journalist and Coordinator in the No Oppression Against Women Initiative in
Sudan. They are reportedly all detained in relation to their participation to nation-wide
peaceful protests against rising commodity prices, which has resulted in the
arrest of several human rights defenders and civil society leaders. Yet no
charges against them have been levelled to date.
According to the
information received, on January 16, 2018, Ms. Nahid Jabrallah and Ms. Amel
Habani were arrested in Khartoum as they were taking part in such peaceful protests.
Both remain detained by the National Intelligence Security Service (NISS) at
the Omdurman Women’s Prison, in Khartoum. Moreover, Ms. Nahid Jabrallah has
been detained incommunicado since her arrest. It has further been reported that
her health conditions are particularly delicate as she was involved in a car
accident prior to her arrest.
Acts of ill-treatment against
Ms. Amel Habani have been reported as she was allegedly beaten with an electric
rod during interrogation. On January 29, 2018, she was allowed a visit from her
mother and her two children in the presence of NISS agents but was denied a
visit from her husband and does not have access to her lawyer. A constitutional
appeal contesting the lawfulness of her detention was filed on February 5, 2018
on her behalf against the Government of Sudan and the NISS.
The Observatory fears that these arrests and detentions occur in reaction to nation-wide demonstrations that began on January 6, 2018 and were set off by the announcement of Sudan’s 2018 budget and the lifting of subsidies and measures, effectively tripling Sudan’s U.S. dollar exchange rate and increasing the price of basic commodities. Sudanese authorities have carried out a campaign of massive arrests and detentions, including political party leaders, journalists, students, human rights defenders and other individuals for their involvement in the protests. The police and the NISS have used excessive force to disperse and arrest protesters, including the reported use of tear gas and beatings with sticks and water hose pipes[1].
The Observatory strongly condemns the incommunicado detention of Ms. Nahid Jabrallah, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, Ms. Rawa Jaafar Bakhit, Mr. Amjed Fareed, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen, and Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim, which significantly enhances vulnerability to ill-treatment, as well as the arbitrary detention of Ms. Amel Habani, as they clearly aim at punishing their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.
The Observatory urges Sudanese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them, and in the meantime to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity and their right to a fair trial, including unhindered access to their lawyers and families.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan asking them to:
i. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Nahid Jabrallah, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, Ms. Rawa Jaafar Bakhit, Mr. Amjed Fareed, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen, and Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim and Ms. Amel Habani, as well as of all human rights defenders in Sudan;
ii. Immediately and unconditionally release Ms. Nahid Jabrallah, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, Ms. Rawa Jaafar Bakhit, Mr. Amjed Fareed, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen, and Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim and Ms. Amel Habani, and all detained human rights defenders in Sudan as their arbitrary detention is merely aimed at punishing them for their legitimate human rights activities;
iii. In the meantime, guarantee the right to due process and fair trial of Ms. Nahid Jabrallah, Mr. Mohamed Abdallah Aldouma, Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa, Ms. Rawa Jaafar Bakhit, Mr. Amjed Fareed, Mr. Ahmed Jadeen, and Mr. Mohammed Abdulmonim and Ms. Amel Habani, including the unhindered access to their lawyers and family;
iv. Carry out an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into alleged above-mentioned acts of ill-treatment against Ms. Amel Habani in order to bring all those responsible before a competent tribunal in accordance with international standards;
i. Put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Ms. Nahid Jabrallah, Ms. Amel Habani, Ms. Hanan Hassan Khalifa and Ms. Rawa Jaafar Bakhit and all human rights defenders in Sudan so that they are able to carry out their work without hindrance or fear of reprisals;
ii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles 1, 6(c) and 12.2; and
iii. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Sudan.
Addresses:
· H.E Mr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, President of Sudan, Fax: +249183783223; Email: info@presidency.gov.sd
· Dr Idris Ibrahim Jameel, Minister of Justice, Fax: +24983791544 / +249183764168 / + 249183770883; Email: moj@moj.gov.sd
· Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed Ghandour, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fax:+249183772941
· Gen. Dr. Hamid Manan Mohamed, Minister of Interior, Fax: +249183779383 / 249183776554; Email: ministry@mfa.gov.sd
· Advisory Council for Human rights, Rapporteur, Fax: + 249183770883
· H.E. Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail Elamin, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan United Nations in Geneva, Fax: +41227312656 / +41227161970; Email: mission.sudan@bluewinch.ch,
· Embassy of Sudan in Brussels, Fax: +3226483499; Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
***
Geneva-Paris, February 8, 2018
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the FIDH. The objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
[1] For more information, see for instance ACJPS Statement, February 7, 2018 and OMCT Press Release, Sudan: Escalating government crackdown on protesters sparks greater safety concerns, January 30, 2018.
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