Sudan
04.11.04
Urgent Interventions
Sudan:arbitrary arrest and torture of Mrs. Zubaida Rbih Abdallah
Case SDN 041104.VAW
Arbitrary Arrest/ Torture/ Violence against women
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 Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Mrs. Zubaida Rbih Abdallah in Sudan.
According to the information received, Mrs. Zubaida Rbih Abdallah, 35 years old, married with 5 children and at the time two months pregnant, was arrested on 4 August 2004 by the National Security Agency (NSA). She was arrested from her office at the Crop Protection Department in Kadogli, Southern Kurdufan State. After the arrest she was taken to the NSA offices in Kadogli. Mrs. Zubaida is from the Nuba Mountains, the Mierry Tribe and lives in the Ga’ar Alhajar Neighborhood in Kadogli City.
Mrs. Zubaida was reportedly arrested following the arrest of a man by the NSA, while he was traveling from the Government controlled areas of the Nuba Mountains to the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) controlled areas. He was arrested for alleged membership in the SPLA. According to his arrestors, among the man’s possessions was a letter from Mrs. Zubaida to the SPLA’s women officer leader.
While in detention Mrs. Zubaida was reportedly subjected to torture during her interrogation. She was beaten with sticks on her shoulder, her fingers were twisted and she was kicked in her lower abdomen, although her pregnancy was clearly visible. Mrs. Zubaida has reported that she was also sexually harassed, and one security officer attempted to remove her clothing.
On 6 August 2004, Mrs. Zubaida was transferred to Kadogli hospital and admitted there for nine days. During her hospitalization Mrs. Zubaida was handcuffed and tied to her hospital bed. On 15 August 2004, Mrs. Zubaida was discharged from Kadogli hospital and returned into NSA custody. She was charged under article 55 (Disclosure and Obtaining Inofrmation and Official Documents) and article 66 (Publication of false News) of the 1991 Penal Code. Mrs. Zubaida is now in the fourth month of her pregnancy and is facing trial in Kadogli.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Zubaida Rabih Abdullah, as she may be subjected to ill-treatment or torture. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee her personal integrity at all times. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the authorities to launch prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into the circumstances of this event in order to find those responsible for any violations of human rights and to bring them to justice. OMCT reminds the Sudanese government that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in article 4(c), states that States should “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mrs. Zubaida Rabih Abdullah’s physical and psychological integrity;
ii. ensure that her right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law would be respected and that her procedural rights be respected;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of her arrest and any allegations of torture, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal 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 national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 4 November 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken
Arbitrary Arrest/ Torture/ Violence against women
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 Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Mrs. Zubaida Rbih Abdallah in Sudan.
According to the information received, Mrs. Zubaida Rbih Abdallah, 35 years old, married with 5 children and at the time two months pregnant, was arrested on 4 August 2004 by the National Security Agency (NSA). She was arrested from her office at the Crop Protection Department in Kadogli, Southern Kurdufan State. After the arrest she was taken to the NSA offices in Kadogli. Mrs. Zubaida is from the Nuba Mountains, the Mierry Tribe and lives in the Ga’ar Alhajar Neighborhood in Kadogli City.
Mrs. Zubaida was reportedly arrested following the arrest of a man by the NSA, while he was traveling from the Government controlled areas of the Nuba Mountains to the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) controlled areas. He was arrested for alleged membership in the SPLA. According to his arrestors, among the man’s possessions was a letter from Mrs. Zubaida to the SPLA’s women officer leader.
While in detention Mrs. Zubaida was reportedly subjected to torture during her interrogation. She was beaten with sticks on her shoulder, her fingers were twisted and she was kicked in her lower abdomen, although her pregnancy was clearly visible. Mrs. Zubaida has reported that she was also sexually harassed, and one security officer attempted to remove her clothing.
On 6 August 2004, Mrs. Zubaida was transferred to Kadogli hospital and admitted there for nine days. During her hospitalization Mrs. Zubaida was handcuffed and tied to her hospital bed. On 15 August 2004, Mrs. Zubaida was discharged from Kadogli hospital and returned into NSA custody. She was charged under article 55 (Disclosure and Obtaining Inofrmation and Official Documents) and article 66 (Publication of false News) of the 1991 Penal Code. Mrs. Zubaida is now in the fourth month of her pregnancy and is facing trial in Kadogli.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mrs. Zubaida Rabih Abdullah, as she may be subjected to ill-treatment or torture. OMCT calls on the authorities to guarantee her personal integrity at all times. Furthermore, OMCT calls on the authorities to launch prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into the circumstances of this event in order to find those responsible for any violations of human rights and to bring them to justice. OMCT reminds the Sudanese government that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in article 4(c), states that States should “exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mrs. Zubaida Rabih Abdullah’s physical and psychological integrity;
ii. ensure that her right to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law would be respected and that her procedural rights be respected;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of her arrest and any allegations of torture, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal 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 national laws and 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. Fax: + 249 183 783223
- Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 788941
- Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affair, PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 779383
- Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights, PO Box 302, Khartoum, Sudan. Fax: + 249 183 770883
- His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Al- Hassan Ahmed Al-Haj, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, PO Box 335, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +4122 731 26 56, E-mail: mission.sudan@ties.itu.int.
Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective country.
Geneva, 4 November 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken