Sudan: Continued targetting of civilians

Case SDN 270606
Arbitrary arrest / Torture / Harassment
click here for an Arabic translation of this appeal

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 network, about the continuing torture, arbitrary arrests and harassment of the civilian population in Darfur by government security organs despite the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).

According to the information received, on 11 June 2006, five police officers from the Central Reserve Police arrested Mr. Sideeg Musa Saed (20 yrs), a student, and Mr. Ismail Musa Abdel Gadeem (26 yrs), a teacher, from Alsouque Alshabi central market in Nyala on suspicion of supporting the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA), a faction of which is signatory to the DPA. The men who belong to the Zaghawa tribe were taken to the offices of the reserve police in Nyala where they were reportedly subjected to torture. The men were beaten with the butt of the officers’ guns on their heads and backs and flogged all over their body. Mr. Saead sustained serious injuries to his eye. On the same day, Mr. Sideeg Musa Saed and Mr. Ismail Musa Abdel Gadeem were transferred to Nyala Wasat Police station where they were officially charged with articles 50 (Undermining the Constitutional System) and 51 (Waging war against the State) of the 1991 Penal code. SOAT Lawyers Network in Nyala is providing legal aid to the two men.

Moreover, on 11 June 2006 at approximately 08.00 am, armed militias, reportedly the Janjaweed militias, allegedly attacked Mr. Musa Ahmed Abdel Nour (50 yrs), from the Dago tribe and resident at Dereig IDP camp whilst he was escorting two elderly women to collect firewood outside the camp. During the attack the militias threatened Mr. Abdel Nour with a gun before kidnapping him and taking his horse and forcing the two women to walk back to the camp. Mr. Abdel Nour was released on the same day at 14.00 pm. Following his release, Mr. Abdel Nour left Dereig camp and is now staying at Kalma camp.

Furthermore it is reported that on 6 June 2006, three armed militias, reportedly the Janjaweed militias, attacked Mr. Abdullah Ahmed Adam (50 yrs), Dago tribe, from Kalma IDP camp. Mr. Adam was attacked 2 km north of the camp; he was threatened by the militias after which they took his horse.

The International Secretariat of OMCT urges the Sudanese authorities to immediately implement its obligations as agreed in the DPA. The International Secretariat of OMCT together with SOAT expresses its grave concern over the continued targeting of the civilian population by the Janjaweed militias and the arrests and detention on suspicion of supporting the SLA.

It should be recalled that article 27(315) of the DPA requires the Government of Sudan to “restrict all Janjaweed/armed militia and PDF to their headquarters, garrisons, cantonment sites or communities and take other steps to contain, reduce and ultimately eliminate the threat posed by such forces”. Furthermore, article 27 (317) states that “Government of Sudan, with support from AMIS, shall take all other steps required to completely eliminate the threat posed by Janjaweed/armed militia to the civilian population....”.

Action Requested

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Sideeg Musa Saed and Mr. Ismail Musa Abdel Gadeem;
2. Order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, and if such charges exist, to ensure that they are given a prompt and fair trial, in which their procedural rights are guaranteed at all times;
3. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into all these events, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
4. Guarantee that adequate compensation is awarded to Mr. Sideeg Musa Saed, Mr. Ismail Musa Abdel Gadeem, Mr. Musa Ahmed Abdel Nour and Mr. Abdullah Ahmed Adam;
5. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, Presidential Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 783 223
  
  
• His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 11 779977 / 771025
  
  
• His Excellency Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, Vice-President, People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 10 25
  
  
• Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 78 07 96
  
  
• Mr Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs/External Relations, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 93 83
  
  
• Mr. Al Zubeir Beshir Taha, Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Interior, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 93 83
  
  
• Dr Nafie Ali Nafie, Minister of Federal Government, Office of the Presidents People’s Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 117 71 651/ 78 32 23
  
  
• Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Head of the Advisory Council for Human Rights PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 770 883
  
  
• Dr Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, Rapporteur, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan, Fax: +249 183 77 08 83
  
  
• Prof. Ali Mohamed Ali Shommou, The National Press and Publications Council, P O Box 11111, Osman Digna St., Khartoum East Sudan, Fax: + 249 183 77 19 25
  
  
• His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Ahmed Elhaj, 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, Mr. Ali Yousif Ahmed, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 124, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Tel.: + 32 2 647 51 59 / 94 94, Fax: + 32 (2) 648 34 99, Email: sudanbx@yahoo.com

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

***
Geneva, 27 June 2006

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