Sudan: Reports of arbitrary arrests, torture

Case SDN 250205
Arbitrary Detention / Disappearance /Incommunicado detention / Risk
of torture / Torture

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information
concerning 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
a series of arbitrary arrests and disappearances, as well as torture
in detention, in recent days in the Southern Darfur state.

According to the information received, on 22 February 2005 security
forces arrested Mr. Adam Khamees Altom (40 yrs), from the Zaghawa
tribe, from Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in southern
Darfur state. Mr. Adam was taken to security offices in Nyala where
he remains in detention without any official charges. Mr. Adam's
arrest follows attempts by the security forces to move IDPs from
Kalma IDP camp to a new camp, 20km from Nyala.

On 21 February 2005, security forces inside Outash IDP camp, north of
Nyala, arrested Mr. Abdella Souliman Shaibo (46 yrs), Zaghawa tribe,
Shaikh (tribal leader), and took him to the police station in the
camp. On 22 February, Mr. Abdella's family were told that he had been
transferred to Nyala Police station when they went to visit him.
However, when they went to the police station and security offices in
Nyala they could not find him. Mr. Abdella had previously filed a
report to the SOAT partner organisation in Nyala, the Amel Medical
Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims in Nyala, regarding the
rape of three women and two girls by Janjaweed Militias on 17
February 2005 near Outash IDP camp. OMCT believes that his
disappearance is connected to this report.

In a separate incident, on 19 February 2005, security forces in Nyala
arrested Mr. Abde Mahmoud Adam Mohamadain (39 yrs) from his home in
Nyala Hey Almazad neighbourhood (Nyala) on suspicion of joining the
Popular National Congress (PNC) party and for allegedly communicating
with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdella was taken to
security offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any
official charges. His family has been denied access.

On 19 February 2005, six armed men in civilian clothing arrested Mr.
Abdel Rahman Yagoub Amir (32 yrs) Zaghawa tribe, from his house in
Nyala Hey Aljeer, southern Darfur state on suspicion of supporting
the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Mr. Abdel was taken to police
offices in the north of Hey Aljeer in Nyala where he was allegedly
detained for one night. On 20 February 2005, when his family went to
visit him, they were told by police officers that he had not been
arrested and his whereabouts were unknown.

On 12 February 2005, the armed forces attached Gedel Haboub, 12km
North-East of Nyala. According to the information received, they
flogged the population of the village and fired live ammunition. It
appeared that the purpose of the attack was to intimidate the
village. The villagers were accused of supporting and assisting the
SLA: During the attack they arrested six men and currently their
whereabouts are unknown. They are: Mr. Mahmoud Ali (30yrs), Mr.
Dawood Soulieman (45 yrs), Mr. Adam Alnour Mohamed, Mr. Abdella Ali
Taha, Mr. Ahmed Abdel Mahmoud and Mr. Adam Ahmed.

On 1 February 2005, security forces in Nyala arrested Ahmed Ali
Soulieman (25 yrs) belonging to the Tounjour tribe, from his work in
a communication centre in Hey Al Jabel, Nyala on suspicion of
communicating with the rebel opposition group. Mr. Ahmed was taken to
Security Offices in Nyala where he remains in detention without any
official charges. Mr. Ahmed's family have visited him and they allege
that Mr. Ahmed has been tortured and has sustained a severe beating
all over his body.

OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological
integrity of the above-mentioned persons and believes that they are
at great risk of torture.

Requested Action:

Please write to the authorities in Sudan urging them to:

i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above
mentioned persons and immediately locate the whereabouts of those who
have allegedly disappeared;
ii. order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal
charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or,
if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent
tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events
and in particular the alleged torture of Mr. Ahmed Ali Soulieman, in
order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply to
them the civil, penal and/or administrative sanctions provided by
law;
iv. guarantee that adequate reparation is awarded to all victims;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms
throughout the country in accordance with national laws and
international humanitarian law and 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,
+41 22 716 19 70, E-mail: [email protected].

Please also write to the embassies of Sudan in your respective
country.

Geneva, 25 February 2005

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.

Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
8 rue du Vieux-Billard
Case postale 21
CH-1211 Geneve 8
Suisse/Switzerland
Tel. : 0041 22 809 49 39
Fax : 0041 22 809 49 29
E-mail : [email protected]
http://www.omct.org