Sudan
19.11.02
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: injury, arrest and alleged torture of university students
Case SDN 191102
Arbitrary detention/Torture
The International Secretariat of 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 Sudanese Organisation against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the injury of 25 University of Khartoum students, at least 11 of whom were subsequently arrested, and of the arrest of at least 9 other students in Sudan. A number of these persons have reportedly been tortured in detention.
According to the information received, on Tuesday 12 November 2002, an Islamic student militia group said to support the government, together with a new unit of armed security forces called the ‘City War Forces’, raided student halls of residence on the campus of the Faculty of Education at Khartoum University in Omdurman. The raids were in response to a student strike in protest against attacks on student demonstrators by security forces on 22 October, 2002, and against the banning of Khartoum University Students Union (KUSU). All the faculties of Khartoum University have been instructed by the authorities to close indefinitely.
Members of the militia group and the armed security forces reportedly beat the students randomly using iron bars, guns and iron chains. Several students were injured and 14 were admitted to hospital. Security forces are reported to have arrested an unconfirmed number of students. The names of those injured from the Faculty of Education are as follows: Mujahid Yousif (3rd year physics; sustained serious injuries to the eyes and back and head injuries which required 5 stitches); Mohamed Ahmed Fadl AlMoula (3rd year French; sustained broken ribs, severe head injuries, and was admitted to the hospital unconscious after being beaten with gun butts); Usma al Amin Alrayah (3rd year English literature; sustained Severe head injuries); Omar Abdelrahman (3rd year French; sustained back injuries); Musa Al Adam Alshiekh (3rd Year English literature; sustained neck and back injuries); Walid Alhaj Mustafa (3rd Year English literature); Muhasab Anwar Muhasab (4th year Mathematics); Alshafieh Alamin (3rd year French); Amar Abdelsalam (2nd year mathematics); Alyaghout Issa (2nd year Geography); Osman Mohamed Osman (4th Year Chemistry); Abdelgadir Musa Mohamed ( 2nd year Arabic); Awad alGied Mohamed (2nd year Geography); Mohmaed Abdulla (4th Year English literature).
According to information received, in another incident on 13 November 2002, the same security units raided student hostels at Shampat (the campus of the Faculties of agriculture and forestry, and of veterinary sciences). As a result least 11 students were admitted to hospital after being seriously injured. Security forces alelgedly arrested these 11 injured students at the hospital, along with 9 other students who had accompanied them to hospital. Those who were injured from Shambat Campus and later arrested from the hospital are as follows: Gorashi Hamid (2nd year Dept of Animal Production studies); Omar Osman (3rd year Dept. of Animal Production studies); Fatah Alrahman Aldaw (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Alamin Barkat (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Gosai Osman (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Husham Ahmed (5th year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Ahmed Izaldin (4th year Faculty of Agriculture; sustained fractures to the leg and shoulder and head injuries); Yasir Jamieh (3rd year Dept of Animal Production); Sohail Mohamed Osman (2nd year Dept. of Animal Production Studies); Faris Alhassan (3rd year Dept of Animal Production Studies) Nusaiba Abdelrahim (2nd year Faculty of Agriculture)
The nine students who took them to hospital and were also arrested from the hospital are as follows:Ahmed Ali Abdelrahman (3rd year Faculty of Agriculture); Muhnad Abdelrahim (4th year Faculty of Agriculture); Ahmed Mohamed Osman (3rd year Dept of Animal production studies); Yosif Mohamed Abdulla (2nd Year Dept of Animal production studies); Abdelrahman Shamo (5th year Animal production studies); Sami Mohamed Osman (5th year Animal production studies); Omar Aljozouli (5th year Animal production studies); Walid Atta (5th year Animal production studies); Altayib Abu Algasim (5th year Animal production studies).
All of the above-named students were taken first to Omdurman East police custody cells and were later transferred to security forces offices in Al Sahafa East in Khartoum. Following this, a number of students were taken to the offices of the District Attorney for Crimes Against the State for interrogation. SOAT received confirmed information that a number of students were tortured while they were in detention in Al Sahafa East security centre.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of these students, for these arbitrary arrests and for the use of violence against the students at the University of Khartoum. OMCT is particularly concerned by the reports of torture practiced by members of security forces. More generally, OMCT is seriously concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Sudan, which has experienced a rise in arbitrary arrests and detentions and in allegations of the use of torture.
Background information
The student-led strikes, which have so far led to the closure of five of Khartoum University’s twelve faculties, are a protest against police attacks on student demonstrators between 22 and 24 October 2002, when sticks and rubber bullets were used by riot police against Khartoum University students. Scores of arrests were made during the events. The students were taking part in celebrations to mark the 38th anniversary of demonstrations against the first military government of General Abboud in October 1964. The Khartoum University Students Union was suspended four years ago when opposition groups looked likely to win campus elections. The Students Union has remained banned ever since.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order the students’ immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these arrests in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, President's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan; Tel: + 24911 783223; Fax: + 24911 771651
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan; Fax: + 24911 779383; E-mail: info@sudmer.com
· Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan; Fax: + 24911 770883
· His Excellency Ambassador Mr Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Fax: + 4122 7312656; E-mail: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, November 19, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Arbitrary detention/Torture
The International Secretariat of 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 Sudanese Organisation against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the injury of 25 University of Khartoum students, at least 11 of whom were subsequently arrested, and of the arrest of at least 9 other students in Sudan. A number of these persons have reportedly been tortured in detention.
According to the information received, on Tuesday 12 November 2002, an Islamic student militia group said to support the government, together with a new unit of armed security forces called the ‘City War Forces’, raided student halls of residence on the campus of the Faculty of Education at Khartoum University in Omdurman. The raids were in response to a student strike in protest against attacks on student demonstrators by security forces on 22 October, 2002, and against the banning of Khartoum University Students Union (KUSU). All the faculties of Khartoum University have been instructed by the authorities to close indefinitely.
Members of the militia group and the armed security forces reportedly beat the students randomly using iron bars, guns and iron chains. Several students were injured and 14 were admitted to hospital. Security forces are reported to have arrested an unconfirmed number of students. The names of those injured from the Faculty of Education are as follows: Mujahid Yousif (3rd year physics; sustained serious injuries to the eyes and back and head injuries which required 5 stitches); Mohamed Ahmed Fadl AlMoula (3rd year French; sustained broken ribs, severe head injuries, and was admitted to the hospital unconscious after being beaten with gun butts); Usma al Amin Alrayah (3rd year English literature; sustained Severe head injuries); Omar Abdelrahman (3rd year French; sustained back injuries); Musa Al Adam Alshiekh (3rd Year English literature; sustained neck and back injuries); Walid Alhaj Mustafa (3rd Year English literature); Muhasab Anwar Muhasab (4th year Mathematics); Alshafieh Alamin (3rd year French); Amar Abdelsalam (2nd year mathematics); Alyaghout Issa (2nd year Geography); Osman Mohamed Osman (4th Year Chemistry); Abdelgadir Musa Mohamed ( 2nd year Arabic); Awad alGied Mohamed (2nd year Geography); Mohmaed Abdulla (4th Year English literature).
According to information received, in another incident on 13 November 2002, the same security units raided student hostels at Shampat (the campus of the Faculties of agriculture and forestry, and of veterinary sciences). As a result least 11 students were admitted to hospital after being seriously injured. Security forces alelgedly arrested these 11 injured students at the hospital, along with 9 other students who had accompanied them to hospital. Those who were injured from Shambat Campus and later arrested from the hospital are as follows: Gorashi Hamid (2nd year Dept of Animal Production studies); Omar Osman (3rd year Dept. of Animal Production studies); Fatah Alrahman Aldaw (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Alamin Barkat (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Gosai Osman (2nd year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Husham Ahmed (5th year Faculty of veterinary sciences); Ahmed Izaldin (4th year Faculty of Agriculture; sustained fractures to the leg and shoulder and head injuries); Yasir Jamieh (3rd year Dept of Animal Production); Sohail Mohamed Osman (2nd year Dept. of Animal Production Studies); Faris Alhassan (3rd year Dept of Animal Production Studies) Nusaiba Abdelrahim (2nd year Faculty of Agriculture)
The nine students who took them to hospital and were also arrested from the hospital are as follows:Ahmed Ali Abdelrahman (3rd year Faculty of Agriculture); Muhnad Abdelrahim (4th year Faculty of Agriculture); Ahmed Mohamed Osman (3rd year Dept of Animal production studies); Yosif Mohamed Abdulla (2nd Year Dept of Animal production studies); Abdelrahman Shamo (5th year Animal production studies); Sami Mohamed Osman (5th year Animal production studies); Omar Aljozouli (5th year Animal production studies); Walid Atta (5th year Animal production studies); Altayib Abu Algasim (5th year Animal production studies).
All of the above-named students were taken first to Omdurman East police custody cells and were later transferred to security forces offices in Al Sahafa East in Khartoum. Following this, a number of students were taken to the offices of the District Attorney for Crimes Against the State for interrogation. SOAT received confirmed information that a number of students were tortured while they were in detention in Al Sahafa East security centre.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of these students, for these arbitrary arrests and for the use of violence against the students at the University of Khartoum. OMCT is particularly concerned by the reports of torture practiced by members of security forces. More generally, OMCT is seriously concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Sudan, which has experienced a rise in arbitrary arrests and detentions and in allegations of the use of torture.
Background information
The student-led strikes, which have so far led to the closure of five of Khartoum University’s twelve faculties, are a protest against police attacks on student demonstrators between 22 and 24 October 2002, when sticks and rubber bullets were used by riot police against Khartoum University students. Scores of arrests were made during the events. The students were taking part in celebrations to mark the 38th anniversary of demonstrations against the first military government of General Abboud in October 1964. The Khartoum University Students Union was suspended four years ago when opposition groups looked likely to win campus elections. The Students Union has remained banned ever since.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons;
ii. order the students’ immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these arrests in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, President's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan; Tel: + 24911 783223; Fax: + 24911 771651
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan; Fax: + 24911 779383; E-mail: info@sudmer.com
· Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan; Fax: + 24911 770883
· His Excellency Ambassador Mr Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Fax: + 4122 7312656; E-mail: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, November 19, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.