Sudan Update: Deaths in custody, continued arbitrary and incommunicado detention of peaceful protestors and obstruction of media coverage of protests.

(9 January 2019) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies has continued to monitor the crackdown of anti-government protests across Sudan since mid-December 2018 and have continued into the New Year. In this report, ACJPS gives an update on various incidents resulting in serious violations of human rights of peaceful protests that have continued to occur since our last publication on the situation of the December 2018 anti-austerity protests.

Sudanese authorities have continued to use force including firing of live ammunition to disperse peaceful protests around Sudan resulting in several deaths and injury of Sudanese citizens. ACJPS received reliable information of the involvement of unidentified individuals wearing masks and reportedly affiliated with the ruling party who have targeted protestors with force and used tear gas to disperse protests.

ACJPS is seriously concerned about the targeted arrests and detention of university students of Darfuri origin by Sudanese authorities who have been paraded in front of the media and reportedly accused of being trained in Israel, having different agendas and responsible for on-going protests. It has been reported that these students have been subjected to torture and/or ill-treatment whilst in detention.

ACJPS has also documented targeted arrests and detention of individuals based on their participation or suspected involvement in the protests. In some cases detention has occurred under the emergency situation declared in some states. The Emergency legal framework permits preventive arrest and detention on the basis of vague grounds without time limits to the detention or judicial oversight. It therefore authorizes prolonged if not indefinite detention. Some detainees have been moved to remote prisons thereby hindering access to receive visits from family members or legal representation. A similar tactic was used during the January 2018 protests. The lack of access for lawyers and family members to the detainees, together with the well-documented use by the NISS of torture and other forms of ill-treatment against detainees, particularly whilst held in unknown locations, gives rise to serious concerns for their safety.

ACJPS calls on the Government of Sudan to respect the peoples’ rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression as guaranteed in international standards and UN treaties ratified by Sudan and refrain from using excessive force to disperse protests. We urge the Government of Sudan to guarantee the physical safety of all detainees, grant them immediate and unequivocal access to their lawyers, family members and medical services, and release them in the absence of valid legal charges consistent with international standards.

Political Developments

On the 30th of December 2018, President Omar Al-Bashir, dressed in a police uniform  addressed the Sudanese Police Forces in Khartoum. Despite instructing the police to refrain from using excessive force against demonstrators, he justified the use of force, purportedly to protect property and not to kill. In his address, President Bashir also cited a Quran verse about retribution in an apparent defence of security measures against protesters.

On 31 December 2018, during the independence celebrations, President Omar Al-Bashir mentioned in his speech that the ongoing crisis is an economic one and that the government is working on solving it. He also requested the opposition political parties to join the national political dialogue.

On 1 January 2019, the head of the Reform Now Party, Dr. Ghazi Salah Eldien announced their withdrawal from the national coalition and from government in opposition to the current political situation. Mr Ghazi left the ruling National Congress Party in September, 2013. The Uma Party  (reformation and renewal), led by Mubarak Alfadel also announced its withdrawal from a political partnership with the ruling congress party on 28th of December 2018.  22 other political parties in a political partnership with the ruling party have demanded the stepping down of President Al-Bashir and the formation of a transitional government.

On the other hand, the general secretary of the Sudanese Communist Party, Mr. Mohamed Mukhtar Alkhatib, stated during a press conference held in the main party premises in Khartoum on the evening of the 2 February 2019 that those political parties are considered part of the government and therefore should also be held responsible. Worth mentioning is the comment of Dr. Sidkhi Kabalo, a member of the central committee, Sudanese Communist Party and an expert in economics who pointed out that the economic growth percentage had reached 63% by December 2018.

ACJPS has observed that the December  protest which was sparked off by increase in the price of bread and shortage of commodities had quickly developed into anti-government rally calling for the resignation of President Omar Al Bashir by 31 December 2018, following a violent response from the Sudanese authorities.  This is the second time in 2018 that protests have broken out following the announcement of austerity measures.

Custodial death

On 20 December 2018, the NISS of Al Gedarif arrested and detained Mr. Mujahid Abdalla. His family was later informed that he would be released on 30 December 2018. On 31 December, his family went to the military hospital in Al Gedarif where they received the body of their loved one. It is reported that the deceased had a bullet wound in his mouth and that his body showed signs of being subjected to torture. His hair had also been shaved off.

Suspicious death

On 31 December 2018, the body of Abdul Rahman Alsadiq Mohamed Alamin, a student at the Faculty of Art, University of Khartoum was found in the River Nile in Khartoum. It appeared that he had drowned.  Mr. Alamin had been missing since 25 December 2018. His family refused to receive his body until an autopsy was done. It is reported that his body showed clear signs of having been tortured or subjected to ill-treatment. He was taken to the Academic hospital for an autopsy and later buried.

Death of protestors in Khartoum and Al Gedarif

ACJPS documented the following details of protestors killed in Khartoum and Al Gedarif state:

1. Khalid Zakary, (m), was shot in the head and died on his way the way to hospital in 31 December 2018 in Khartoum.
2. Mohamed Abdulrahman, (m), was shot by NISS in Al Gedarif, on 20 December 2018.
3. Aba Zar Osama, (m), was shot by NISS in Al Gedarif  on 20 December 2018.
4. Ali Osman, (m), was shot by NISS in Al Gedarif  on 20 December 2018.
5. An unidentified Ethiopian national, was shot by NISS in Al Gedarif on 20 December 2018.2018. His body was held at the military hospital in Al Gedarif until 32 December 2018.
6. An unidentified minor was shot in Al Gedarif on 20 December 2018.

Injured individuals

ACJPS documented the following details of those injured during the dispersal of protests.
1. Ibrahim Jumma, (m), 22 years old, sustained a bullet wound on his head.
2. Hadil Al-Safi, (f), 26 years old, sustained a bullet wound on her head .
3. Al-Shazali Mohamed, (m), sustained bullet wounds on both thighs, the bullet entered his right thigh and went through to his left thigh.
4. Khalid Mutwli, (m), member of the Republican Party, sustained a bullet wound on his head

5. Mohamed Abbas Alfadni, (m), member of the National congress Party, was injured during the peaceful protest in Khartoum
6. Ibrahim (m) sustained a bullet wound on his head.
   7. Ayman Salah, (m), sustained a bullet wound on his head on 20 December 2018, in Port Sudan Red Sea State.

Details on arrests and detention

ACJPS documented details of the some individuals who have been detained in connection with the anti-government protests. Where available, updates on release have been included.

On 3 January 2019, the NISS of Khartoum arrested and detained the following people:

1. Dr. Hassan Abdul Atti, (m), was arrested from his office located in Al-Amarrat in Khartoum. He is a professor at the University of  Khartoum.
2. Dr. Muntasir Altayeb, (m), was arrested from Dr. Hassan Abdul Atti’s office. He is also a professor at the University of Khartoum. He was released a few hours after his arrest.
3. Ibrahim Taha Eyob, (m), a former Ambassador was arrested from Dr. Hassan Abdul Atti’s office and released after few hours.
4. Qurashi Awad, (m), a journalist with Al-Midan newspaper was arrested from Dr. Hassan Abdul Atti’s office.
5. Abdul Gaioum Awad Alsied, (m), member of Central Council of Sudanese Congress Party .
6. Faisal Mohamed Salih, (m), a journalist and human rights defender, was arrested and released 5 January 2019

On 1 January 2019, the NISS of Khartoum raided student residences located in Jabil Awlia, Southern Khartoum and arrested the following individuals:

1. Faisal Mohamed Zakary, (m), university student from Darfur.
2. Abdul Hamid Abdalla, (m), university student from Darfur.
3. Ibrahim Yahya, (m), university student from Darfur.
4. Husham Omer Elnoor, University Professor at Al-Nelieen University

That same day, the NISS arrested the following from Alameer locality, Umbanda in Omdurman

1. Mubarak Hamdoun, (m).
2. Emam Eldien, (m).
3. Amin Osman, (m).
4. Jamal Almatbag, (m).

On 31 December 2018, the NISS arrested several protestors as they participated in peaceful protests in Khartoum. Among those arrested were advocates who demonstrated in front of the Khartoum North Court in solidarity with fellow Sudanese protestors and also condemned the use of excessive force  by Sudanese authorities against peaceful protestors.

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