Contact: Osman Hummaida, Executive Director
Phone: +44-2032872745
E-mail: osman@acjps.org

(24 January 2009)  On Tuesday the 19th, supporters of Hamad Mohammad Ali, an independent gubernatorial candidate from the Amarar ethnic group in Red Sea State for the April 2010 elections, organised a peaceful demonstration and rally in support of his candidacy. Mr. Ali was formerly a member of the National Congress Party (NCP), but when he did not receive his party’s nomination began a campaign on an independent platform.

The peaceful protests were soon curbed by police on the pretext that they had not registered for a permit to demonstrate. Protestors were dispersed using tear gas, electrical batons, and water hoses. 27 people were arrested, and subsequently taken to Al-Awsat police station in Port Sudan.   12 of the protestors were released at 12 PM, and the remaining detainees -- most of whom are members of the Bani Amir tribe -- face criminal charges under the 1991 Criminal Code. The case has been docketed as Case No. 311/2010.

The names available of those arrested are:

1. Osman Abdu Ali
2. Ali Mahmood Ali Romay
3. Said Hamed Mohamed Kheir
4. Mohammed Osman Idris
5. Mohamed Mohamed Said
6. Idrees Mohamed Ali Idriss
7. Hamid Osman Adam
8. Saleh Mohamed Kheir
9. Mahmoud Mohamed Adam
10. Sliem Edriss
    

A number of protestors sustained serious injuries at the hands of police and security agents. Amongst them are:

1. Hamed Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmad - wounded in the head
2. Ali Mohamed Ibrahim Adam - wounded in the leg
3. Yacgoub Ibrahim Hamed - wounded in the head
4. Hussein Mahmoud Idriss - wounded in the head

 In addition, several minors were arrested and detained in Al Aswat Police station before being released to their parents.

1. Hassan Osman Ahmed, age 14
2. Mohammed Nour Mohammed Ali, age 15

Symbolic of the disproportionate use of force at the demonstration, police vandalised and damaged a number of civilian vehicles belonging to protestors. The owners of the vehicles have attempted to press charges against the police for the damage, but as of now police have only filed preliminary investigations, and no further action has been taken.

The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies is concerned that the police actions were discriminatory. Mr.  Hamad claims that the authorities in Red Sea State denied his supporters a permit to demonstrate despite the fact that supporters of the incumbent NCP Governor, Mohamed Tahir Ella, were permitted to do so. Further reports from Port Sudan indicate that Governor Ella’s campaign has exploited state resources to mobilise support, for example using government vehicles for demonstrations in Port Sudan. Sudanese electoral law states that campaigns are to be funded by the candidate’s party, not by the state.

The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies condemns the use of violence to disperse a peaceful demonstration, and calls on the government of Sudan to immediately charge the remaining detainees with an internationally-recognised criminal offense or release them. The right to the freedom of expression, assembly, and association is guaranteed through Article 39 of the 2005 Interim National Constitution and Bill of Rights, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

When read in conjunction with other serious suppressions of political and civil freedom in Sudan in the months leading up to parliamentary and presidential elections, these acts form the basis of a campaign to silence any dissident voices that could contest in these supposedly democratic elections. The fact that Mr. Ali, a former NCP member, was targeted in this way underscores the extent to which a free and fair electoral process, in which freedom of expression and association is guaranteed in accordance with international and national law, is not tolerated.