Abduction and torture of student in Port Sudan

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sudan.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of OMCT SOS-Torture network, about the abduction and torture of Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan, 25 years old student at the Economics Faculty of al-Bahr al-Ahmar University and member of the Democratic Union, by an unidentified group of individuals in Port Sudan, Red Sea State.

According to the information received, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan was abducted at 3pm on 13 May 2008 from a location near the university. He was allegedly taken away in a car belonging to the Military Service Department, with the license plate number 1007.

Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan was reportedly taken to a deserted area known as Kilo 7, where he was allegedly tortured in an effort to force him to reveal the whereabouts of another political activist in Port Sudan. This reportedly included kicking him and beating him with hands, a water hose and metal bars. Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan also reported that his abductors injected him twice with unknown liquids. After loosing consciousness, he was reportedly abandoned on the site and was later discovered at around 6pm on the same day by the driver of a passing vehicle belonging to al-Naser company. Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan subsequently filed a complaint about the incident at the Port Sudan Central Police Station.

Around the time of this incident security agents in Port Sudan reportedly arrested an unknown number of students in connection with clashes between different political factions at al-Bahr al-Ahmar University. OMCT had been informed that at least one of these detainees was allegedly subjected to torture in custody[1].

Incidents of abuse in custody are encouraged by the fact that under current Sudanese law, many categories of state officials are protected from prosecution and enjoy effective impunity for human rights violations including arbitrary detention and torture.

The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its grave concern about the abduction and torture and ill-treatment suffered by Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan and urges the Sudanese authorities to guarantee his physical and psychological integrity at all times. OMCT recalls that Sudan is a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. In line with their obligations under this treaty, it is incumbent on the Sudanese authorities to consider seriously any allegations of torture and ill-treatment, and to undertake a thorough investigation in this regard.

Requested Action

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:

1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdu Hassan, including guarantee appropriate medical care, and of all individuals detained following the clashes at al-Bahr al-Ahmar University;
2. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events, in particular into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to the victim;
4. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international humanitarian law and human rights standards, and in particular, expedite reforms to bring the Sudanese justice system and all legislation into line with the Interim National Constitution and international human rights standards, and to end the impunity of state officials.

Addresses

• H.E. President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, Office of the President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
• H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan,
• H.E. Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
• Mr. Abdel Bassit Sabdarat, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan
• Mr. Deng Alor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs/External Relations, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
• Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Hamed, Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Interior, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 779383
• Dr Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, Rapporteur, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 08 83
• Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Avenue Blanc 47, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 731 26 63, Fax: +41 22 731 26 56, Email: mission.sudan@bluewin.ch / mission.sudan@ties.itu.int
• The Embassy of Sudan in Brussels, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 124, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Tel.:0032 (2) 647 51 59 / 0032 (2) 647 94 94, Fax: 0032 (2) 648 34 99, Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com

Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.

Geneva, 22 May 2008

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

[1] See OMCT urgent appeal SDN 160508.