Arrests of human rights defenders alongside repression, killings and several injuries
On 27 January 2018, Mohamed Aldouma's legal representatives reported that the defender was transferred to Shala Prison in El Fasher, Darfur. They further reported that Mohamed Aldouma has been subjected to ill-treatment in detention and is in need of regular medical care to treat his chronic osteoarthritis.
Sudanese authorities are continuing a nationwide crackdown against protesters and human rights defenders, through arrests and the use of excessive force resulting in killings. Mohamed Aldouma was arrested during a demonstration in Omdurman on 17 January.
Mohamed Aldouma is President of the Darfur Bar Association, which has been active for several years in the protection, defense, and legal representation of victims of violence.
On 8 March, Sudanese security at Khartoum International Airport banned human rights lawyer Mohamed Aldouma from traveling and seized his passport while he was en route to Cairo for medical treatment.
Mohamed Aldouma is President of the Darfur Bar Association, which has been active for several years in the protection, defence and legal representation of victims of violence.
On 8 March, Sudanese security at Khartoum International Airport banned Mohamed Aldouma from traveling to Cairo to undergo medical checks and treatment following the deterioration of his health during his recent detention.
On 17 January, the human rights defender was arrested during a demonstration in Omdurman and remained in detention at Khartoum North Common Prison, commonly known as Kober. He was then transferred to Shala Prison in El Fasher, Darfur until his release on 19 February. He was subjected to ill-treatment in detention and was not provided with adequate medical care to treat his chronic osteoarthritis.
Over the past two months Sudanese authorities have been undertaking a nation-wide crackdown against demonstrators and human rights defenders in the context of protests against the rise in the cost of food in Sudan which began on 7 January 2018 after the government cut subsidies. Many of the detained human rights defenders were released by the end of February but others remain in detention, among them, Salih Mahmoud Osman, Vice President of the Darfur Bar Association and recipient of the 2007 Sakharov Prize who was arrested on 1 February.
Front Line Defenders condemns the travel ban against Mohamed Aldouma and urges Sudanese authorities to lift it and permit him to travel for medical treatment. Front Line Defenders also calls upon the government of Sudan to immediately and unconditionally release Salih Mahmoud Osman, to cease targeting all human rights defenders and activists in Sudan and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
Following her detention on 16 January, human rights defender Amal Habani was beaten with an electric rod by Sudanese forces during interrogation. She remains in detention despite an order for her release being issued on 20 January. Also on 16 January, another defender, Nahid Jabrallah, was arrested at a protest in Khartoum.
Fellow human rights defender Mohamed Aldouma, who was arrested during a demonstration in Omdurman on 17 January, has been transferred to Khartoum North Common Prison, commonly known as Kober, where he is now being held.
Amal Habani is the coordinator of the No Oppression Against Women Initiative in Sudan, a journalist and recipient of the 2014 Amnesty International Ginetta Sagan Award. Nahid Jabrallah is the Director of the Sima Centre for Training and Protection of Women and Children's Rights based in Khartoum. Mohamed Aldouma is President of the Darfur Bar Association, which has been active for several years in the protection, defence, and legal representation of victims of violence.
The Sudanese authorities are persisting in a nationwide crackdown on protesters and human rights defenders through arrests and the use of excessive force resulting in killings and injuries. Amal Habani was arrested at a protest on Al-Qasr street in Khartoum on 16 January by security forces. Fellow detainees subsequently reported on their release that the human rights defender was beaten with an electric rod and injured during her interrogation. An order for release of the human rights defender was issued on 20 January but as of 22 January, she had still not been freed. Nahid Jabrallah was arrested during a protest on 16 January in Khartoum and Mohamed Aldouma, who was arrested during a protest in Omdurman on 17 January 2018, has since been transferred to Khartoum North Common Prison. In recent months, several people who had been detained in Sudan have given personal accounts of the torture and ill treatment they suffered in detention.
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) officials have arrested over 170 individuals since 11 January 2018. Four members of the No Oppression Against Women Initiative have been summoned for interrogation, namely Rashida Shamseldein, Ihsan Fagiri, Najlaa Norin, and Gomaria Omer.
Other individuals arrested since 11 January 2018 include human rights defender, academic, economist, and political leader Sidgi Kabalo, who suffers from diabetes and is in need of medical care. Journalists Rashan Oshi from Mijhar Alsyasi newspaper and Imtnan Alrady from Alyom Altali newspaper were arrested on 16 January. Journalist and news producer Shawgi Alazeim and AFP reporter Abdelmoniem Abuidreis were arrested on 16 and 17 January respectively. Reuters reporter Khalid Abdelaziz was also arrested in Khartoum. These journalists have reported on the social impact of austerity measures implemented by the government and the violent response of the security forces against student protesters.
In South Kordofan, an estimated 117 students were arrested during a raid at a Aldalang University protest on 12 January following protests in response to the Sudan Armed Forces’ fatal shooting of two students, Zahra Eltigani and Suliman Abdulkarien, the previous day.
Protests against the rise in the cost of food in Sudan began on 7 January 2018 after the government made a decision to cut subsidies. The protests have been met with excessive use of force by Sudanese forces, leading to the death of one protester and several others being injured, and a nationwide crackdown on journalists and activists.
Front Line Defenders condemns the torture and arbitrary arrests of, and excessive use of force against, human rights defenders by the Sudanese security forces.
Update: On 27 January 2018, Mohamed Aldouma's legal representatives reported that the defender was transferred to Shala Prison in El Fasher, Darfur. They further reported that Mohamed Aldouma has been subjected to ill-treatment in detention and is in need of regular medical care to treat his chronic osteoarthritis.
Sudanese authorities are continuing a nationwide crackdown against protesters and human rights defenders, through arrests and the use of excessive force resulting in killings. Human rights defender Amal Habani was arrested on 16 January 2018 and taken to an undisclosed location by security forces in Khartoum. Human rights defender Nahid Jabrallah was arrested during a protest on 16 January 2018. Human rights defender Mohamed Aldouma was arrested during a protest in Omdurman on 17 January 2018.
National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) officials have arrested an estimated 170 individuals since 11 January 2018. Four members of the No Oppression Against Women Initiative have been summoned for interrogation since 11 January 2018, including Rashida Shamseldein, Ihsan Fagiri, Najlaa Norin, and Gomaria Omer.
Other individuals arrested since 11 January 2018 include human rights defender, academic, economist, and political leader Sidgi Kabalo, who suffers from diabetes and is in need of medical care. Seven journalists, including Rashan Oshi from Mijhar Alsyasi newspaper and Imtnan Alrady from Alyom Altali newspaper who were both arrested on 16 January 2018, Shawgi Abdelazeem and AFP reporter Abdelmoniem Abuidreis were also arrested on 17 January 2018. Reuters reporter Khalid Abdelaziz was also arrested.
In South Kordofan, an estimated 117 students have been arrested during a raid at a Aldalang University protest after Sudan Armed Forces fatally shot two students, Zahra Eltigani and Suliman Abdulkarien.
Protests against the rise in the cost of food, including bread, began on 7 January 2018 after the government made a decision to cut subsidies. The protests have been met with excessive use of force by Sudanese forces, leading to several protesters being injured, and a nation-wide crackdown against journalists and activists.
Front Line Defenders condemns the arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force by Sudanese police forces. Front Line Defenders calls for an immediate investigation into the killings and an end to the continuing repression of student activists, attorneys, protesters, and human rights defenders.
Front Line Defenders calls upon the government of Sudan to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally release the human rights defenders, journalists, and students who have been detained, as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being held solely as a result of exercising their legitimate rights to participate in non-violent protests and their rights to freedom of expression;
2. Cease targeting all human rights defenders and activists in Sudan and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
