Sudan
15.01.04
Urgent Interventions
Sudan : students arrested and tortured
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
SDN 002/0104/OBS 002
Arrests/ Arbitrary detention /Torture
Sudan
January 7th, 2003
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 situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudan Organization Against
Torture (SOAT) of the arrest of Mr. Waiel Taha, 23 years old, student
and active member of the SOAT student network in Sudan. Another
student at the Faculty of Art, Khartoum University, Mr. Yousif Fat'h
Al Rahman, who was arrested with Mr. Taha, was tortured and released
since then.
On January 5, 2004, members of the National Security Agency (NSA)
arrested Mr. Taha and Mr. Al Fat'h Al Rahman outside Khartoum
University Student Union Building. According to the information
received, they were apprehended by 9 individuals travelling in a
Toyota pick-up truck.
Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman was separated from Mr. Taha and was taken to the
NSA building near Old Khartoum High School. He was allegedly tortured
by 5 security officers who punched his face, beat the soles of his
feet and his back, kicked him, forced him to drink 3 litres of water
by inserting a bottle in his throat, tried to strangle him and
threatened him with death. On 6 January 2004, Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman was
handcuffed and blind folded, and pushed to a road near Mahmood
Sharief Station in Buri. He is currently receiving medical treatment
for his injuries.
Concerning Mr. Taha, a delegation from the Khartoum Student Union
went to the NSA office to request information on his whereabouts but
the NSA has denied his arrest. However, Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman has
confirmed that they were arrested together.
These events seem to be related to disturbances that took place on
January 3 and 4, 2004, at Khartoum University between students and
the guards. During the disturbances, the guards beat up the students
using metal wires and water hoses at the student's residence halls. A
number of female students who were injured decided to press charges
against the university guards. Mr Taha was organizing a series of
briefings and public talks sponsored by the Khartoum University
Student Union concerning these events.
The Observatory is gravely concerned about the lack of information
concerning Mr. Taha's whereabouts, as well as his physical and
psychological integrity, due to the aforementioned risk of his being
subjected to torture as was the case with co-detainee, Mr. Fat'h Al
Rahman.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
i. immediately locate Mr. Waiel Taha whereabouts and take all
necessary measures to guarantee his physical and psychological
integrity;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of legal charges, or,
if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent
tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. order an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these
events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil,
competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal and/or
administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. conform to the provisions of the Declaration on Humans Rights
Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on
December 9, 1998, in particular article 1, which states that
"everyone has the right, individually or in association with others,
to promote the protection and realization of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels";
article 12.2 which provides that "the State shall take all necessary
measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of
everyone, individually or in association with others, against any
violence, threats, retaliation, de facto o 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.";
v. 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 : + 24911 783223
· Mr Ali Osman Yasin, 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 : + 24911 788941
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, fax : + 24911 779383
· His Excellency Ambassador Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent
Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Case Postal 335,
1211 Geneva 19, fax :
0041 (0) 22 731 26 56, email: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
Given the lack of working fax numbers for the government officials
above, please send the appeals by standard mail and also write to the
Embassy of Sudan in your country.
Paris - Geneva, January 7th, 2003
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 002/0104/OBS 002
Arrests/ Arbitrary detention /Torture
Sudan
January 7th, 2003
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 situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Sudan Organization Against
Torture (SOAT) of the arrest of Mr. Waiel Taha, 23 years old, student
and active member of the SOAT student network in Sudan. Another
student at the Faculty of Art, Khartoum University, Mr. Yousif Fat'h
Al Rahman, who was arrested with Mr. Taha, was tortured and released
since then.
On January 5, 2004, members of the National Security Agency (NSA)
arrested Mr. Taha and Mr. Al Fat'h Al Rahman outside Khartoum
University Student Union Building. According to the information
received, they were apprehended by 9 individuals travelling in a
Toyota pick-up truck.
Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman was separated from Mr. Taha and was taken to the
NSA building near Old Khartoum High School. He was allegedly tortured
by 5 security officers who punched his face, beat the soles of his
feet and his back, kicked him, forced him to drink 3 litres of water
by inserting a bottle in his throat, tried to strangle him and
threatened him with death. On 6 January 2004, Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman was
handcuffed and blind folded, and pushed to a road near Mahmood
Sharief Station in Buri. He is currently receiving medical treatment
for his injuries.
Concerning Mr. Taha, a delegation from the Khartoum Student Union
went to the NSA office to request information on his whereabouts but
the NSA has denied his arrest. However, Mr. Fat'h Al Rahman has
confirmed that they were arrested together.
These events seem to be related to disturbances that took place on
January 3 and 4, 2004, at Khartoum University between students and
the guards. During the disturbances, the guards beat up the students
using metal wires and water hoses at the student's residence halls. A
number of female students who were injured decided to press charges
against the university guards. Mr Taha was organizing a series of
briefings and public talks sponsored by the Khartoum University
Student Union concerning these events.
The Observatory is gravely concerned about the lack of information
concerning Mr. Taha's whereabouts, as well as his physical and
psychological integrity, due to the aforementioned risk of his being
subjected to torture as was the case with co-detainee, Mr. Fat'h Al
Rahman.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sudan urging them to:
i. immediately locate Mr. Waiel Taha whereabouts and take all
necessary measures to guarantee his physical and psychological
integrity;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of legal charges, or,
if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent
tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. order an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these
events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil,
competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal and/or
administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. conform to the provisions of the Declaration on Humans Rights
Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on
December 9, 1998, in particular article 1, which states that
"everyone has the right, individually or in association with others,
to promote the protection and realization of human rights and
fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels";
article 12.2 which provides that "the State shall take all necessary
measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of
everyone, individually or in association with others, against any
violence, threats, retaliation, de facto o 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.";
v. 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 : + 24911 783223
· Mr Ali Osman Yasin, 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 : + 24911 788941
· Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan, fax : + 24911 779383
· His Excellency Ambassador Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim, Permanent
Mission of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, Case Postal 335,
1211 Geneva 19, fax :
0041 (0) 22 731 26 56, email: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
Given the lack of working fax numbers for the government officials
above, please send the appeals by standard mail and also write to the
Embassy of Sudan in your country.
Paris - Geneva, January 7th, 2003
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