Sudan
23.08.01
Urgent Interventions
Sudan: two Gezira University students have been shot dead and 16 others injured during a political debate
Case SDN 230801
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 Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), a member of the OMCT network, that two Gezira University students have been shot dead and 16 others injured during a political debate that was disrupted by militant students, policemen and security officers on Thursday August 16th, 2001, in Gezira, Sudan.
According to the information received, a political debate, which included several political opposition student groups, was being held by the Gezira University opposition Arab Nassrist Socialist Party (ANSP) student group at the University campus on Thursday August 16th. Non-Gezira University Student National Congress (NC) student militants reportedly marched into the campus wearing military uniforms and chanting Islamic Jihad slogans, and interrupted the debate. Members of the police and security officers joined forces with the NC militants as the students that were engaged in the political debate attempted to fend of the militants’ assault.
According to the information received, a police car reportedly ran over one student, Ms. Jihan Atif, causing the other students to become angry. At this point gunfire erupted against the angered students, leading to the deaths of two of their number – Mr. Hamad Altayeb and Mr. Mutasim Mohamed El Hassan - and injuring a further 16, in some cases critically. The two men who were fatally wounded were shot in the head and chest and died instantly. Another student, Mr. Al Nazeer Ahmed Abdullah, was taken unconscious to hospital where his kidney and spleen had to be removed as a result of his injuries. The other injured students include: Mr. Hafiz Osman; Mr. Mohamed El Tayeb; Mr. Imad Abdel Raheem; Mr. Ali Abdel Kareem; Mr. Salah Gasmelsaid; Mr. Farouq Abdel Raziq; Mr. Murtadah Ali Mahmoud; Ms. Nargis Sid Ahmed; Ms. Leemya Abdellah; Ms. Nidal Abdel Aziz and Ms. Zubeyda Abdel Raheem. Two militant NC students from a university in Khartoum – Mr. Hashim Abdel Raheem and Mr. Hoseyfa Ali Aklheir - were also reportedly injured.
According to the information received, both the University administration and the Sudanese Government have said that they will investigate these events, but SVTG believes that it is likely, in light of previous investigations that failed to be completed successfully, that the perpetrators of these acts will go unpunished. As an example, over the last year, six students have reportedly been killed and many more injured and/or tortured in Sudan without any investigations having been completed successfully or perpetrators having been brought to justice. Instead, the lawyers and families of the victims have reportedly been subjected to systematic harassment in order to force them to drop the cases.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the students injured in this incident, and deplores the death of two of their number.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
- take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the injured students;
- guarantee adequate reparation to all the injured students and to the families of the two students who were killed in this incident;
- put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of opposition student groups;
- guarantee 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, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
- 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, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD - Fax : +249 11 771 724
Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman, 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 11 774 063
Mr. Mustafa Osman Mohamad Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD - Fax : +249 11 774 063
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, August 23rd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 Victims of Torture Group (SVTG), a member of the OMCT network, that two Gezira University students have been shot dead and 16 others injured during a political debate that was disrupted by militant students, policemen and security officers on Thursday August 16th, 2001, in Gezira, Sudan.
According to the information received, a political debate, which included several political opposition student groups, was being held by the Gezira University opposition Arab Nassrist Socialist Party (ANSP) student group at the University campus on Thursday August 16th. Non-Gezira University Student National Congress (NC) student militants reportedly marched into the campus wearing military uniforms and chanting Islamic Jihad slogans, and interrupted the debate. Members of the police and security officers joined forces with the NC militants as the students that were engaged in the political debate attempted to fend of the militants’ assault.
According to the information received, a police car reportedly ran over one student, Ms. Jihan Atif, causing the other students to become angry. At this point gunfire erupted against the angered students, leading to the deaths of two of their number – Mr. Hamad Altayeb and Mr. Mutasim Mohamed El Hassan - and injuring a further 16, in some cases critically. The two men who were fatally wounded were shot in the head and chest and died instantly. Another student, Mr. Al Nazeer Ahmed Abdullah, was taken unconscious to hospital where his kidney and spleen had to be removed as a result of his injuries. The other injured students include: Mr. Hafiz Osman; Mr. Mohamed El Tayeb; Mr. Imad Abdel Raheem; Mr. Ali Abdel Kareem; Mr. Salah Gasmelsaid; Mr. Farouq Abdel Raziq; Mr. Murtadah Ali Mahmoud; Ms. Nargis Sid Ahmed; Ms. Leemya Abdellah; Ms. Nidal Abdel Aziz and Ms. Zubeyda Abdel Raheem. Two militant NC students from a university in Khartoum – Mr. Hashim Abdel Raheem and Mr. Hoseyfa Ali Aklheir - were also reportedly injured.
According to the information received, both the University administration and the Sudanese Government have said that they will investigate these events, but SVTG believes that it is likely, in light of previous investigations that failed to be completed successfully, that the perpetrators of these acts will go unpunished. As an example, over the last year, six students have reportedly been killed and many more injured and/or tortured in Sudan without any investigations having been completed successfully or perpetrators having been brought to justice. Instead, the lawyers and families of the victims have reportedly been subjected to systematic harassment in order to force them to drop the cases.
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the students injured in this incident, and deplores the death of two of their number.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
- take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the injured students;
- guarantee adequate reparation to all the injured students and to the families of the two students who were killed in this incident;
- put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of opposition student groups;
- guarantee 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, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
- 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, People's Palace, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD - Fax : +249 11 771 724
Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman, 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 11 774 063
Mr. Mustafa Osman Mohamad Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Telex : 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD - Fax : +249 11 774 063
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, August 23rd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.