Sudan
11.06.01
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: Harassment against the lawyer Mustafa Abdel Gadir
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
SDN 003/ 0106 / OBS 051
Arbitrary arrest/Harassment
Sudan
8th June 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), of the continuous harassment against the lawyer Mustafa Abdel Gadir.
According to the information received, Mustafa Abdel Gadir was arrested on 5th June 2001 in the afternoon from his office in Khartoum. The Security Forces searched his office and confiscated papers concerning him and his clients. He was released the same evening and ordered to report to the Political Section of the Security forces in Khartoum. On Wednesday 6th June he was interrogated during four hours and has been ordered to report again on Saturday.
Mustafa Abdel Gadir provides free counselling for prisoners of conscience and victims of human rights violations. This is the fourth time he is arrested and he has already spent two years in prison.
He is the principal defence lawyer for six opposition leaders pertaining to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) who were arrested on 6th December 2000, following a meeting with an American Diplomat in Khartoum. They are accused of taking part in a conspiracy planning to incite a popular uprising, disrupt national security and support the rebel movement. As their trial was scheduled to begin on Monday 11th, the Observatory fears that the arbitrary arrest of Mr. Gadir could be linked to his work as their defence lawyer and expresses its concern about this situation.
Mustafa Abdel Gadir has provided free counselling for prisoners of conscience and victims of human rights violations. This is the fourth time he is arrested and he has already spent two years in prison.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
i. to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mustafa Abdel Gadir under all circumstances;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
iii. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure "the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
iv. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD - Fax : (+249 11) 71 7 24
Mr. Abd al-Basit Sabdarat, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs) - Fax : (+249 11) 740 63
Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD - Fax : (+249 11) 740 63
The Diplomatic Representatives of Sudan in your country.
Geneva-Paris, 8th June 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
SDN 003/ 0106 / OBS 051
Arbitrary arrest/Harassment
Sudan
8th June 2001
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Sudan.
Brief description of the facts:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), of the continuous harassment against the lawyer Mustafa Abdel Gadir.
According to the information received, Mustafa Abdel Gadir was arrested on 5th June 2001 in the afternoon from his office in Khartoum. The Security Forces searched his office and confiscated papers concerning him and his clients. He was released the same evening and ordered to report to the Political Section of the Security forces in Khartoum. On Wednesday 6th June he was interrogated during four hours and has been ordered to report again on Saturday.
Mustafa Abdel Gadir provides free counselling for prisoners of conscience and victims of human rights violations. This is the fourth time he is arrested and he has already spent two years in prison.
He is the principal defence lawyer for six opposition leaders pertaining to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) who were arrested on 6th December 2000, following a meeting with an American Diplomat in Khartoum. They are accused of taking part in a conspiracy planning to incite a popular uprising, disrupt national security and support the rebel movement. As their trial was scheduled to begin on Monday 11th, the Observatory fears that the arbitrary arrest of Mr. Gadir could be linked to his work as their defence lawyer and expresses its concern about this situation.
Mustafa Abdel Gadir has provided free counselling for prisoners of conscience and victims of human rights violations. This is the fourth time he is arrested and he has already spent two years in prison.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
i. to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mustafa Abdel Gadir under all circumstances;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment of human rights defenders and their organisations, and ensure that they are allowed to carry out their work without obstacles;
iii. ensure the application of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, especially with respect to the protection of the right of all persons, "...individually or in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Art.1.) as well as the duty of the State to ensure "the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration" (Art.12.2);
iv. ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD - Fax : (+249 11) 71 7 24
Mr. Abd al-Basit Sabdarat, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs) - Fax : (+249 11) 740 63
Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD - Fax : (+249 11) 740 63
The Diplomatic Representatives of Sudan in your country.
Geneva-Paris, 8th June 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Tel and fax FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 4122 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29