Mudawi Ibrahim Adam Released from Detention

On 29 August 2017, human rights defenders Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, Hafiz Idris, Tasneem Taha Zaki, Abdel-mukhles Yousef Ali, Abdelhakim Noor, and Mubarak Adam Abdullah were issued a presidential pardon in Khartoum. All six human rights defenders had been charged in criminal case No. 22/2017 as a result of their human rights activities.

Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) and was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. Hafiz Idris is a human rights defender who focuses on the rights and well-being of internally displaced persons in Sudan. Tasneem Taha Zaki is a human rights lawyer who provides legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses, especially youth and students in El-Fasher.

On 29 August 2017, a presidential pardon was issued for Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, Hafiz Idris, Tasneem Taha Zaki, Abdel-mukhles Yousef Ali, Abdelhakim Noor, and Mubarak Adam Abdullah, all of whom were charged in a case known as criminal case No. 22/2017.  Sudanese authorities released Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam in accordance with the pardon the same day. The human rights defender had been detained since 7 December 2016. At the time of writing, Hafiz Idris, who has been in detention since 24 November 2016, is still under procedural processing for release. Mubarak Adam Abdullah was also released on 29 August 2017. Abdelhakim Noor and Abdel-mukhles Yousef Ali were released on bail on 14 March 2017, while human rights lawyer Tasneem Taha Zaki was released on bail on 12 March 2017, pending charges.

The human rights defenders were facing charges which included ‘conspiracy to conduct espionage and intelligence activities in favour of foreign embassies’, ‘waging war against the state’, ‘publishing false reports’, ‘undermining the constitutional system’, ‘stirring up sectarian hatred’ and ‘running a terrorist organisation’. A number of irregularities occurred during the course of the case including the retraction of the Prosecutor General of Sudan’s decision on 26 March 2017 to release Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris on bail by the newly-appointed Attorney General. Several of the human rights defenders were subjected to incommunicado detention in unknown locations, torture and ill-treatment following their arrest.

Front Line Defenders welcomes the pardon and release of the aforementioned human rights defenders, however it reiterates its condemnation for the incommunicado detntion, torture, ill treatment and prolonged arbitrary detention of the defenders. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities to immediately release Hafiz Idris, and calls on Sudanese authorities to cease targeting all human rights defenders 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.

On 14 June 2017, the trial of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris began in Khartoum. The two human rights defenders appeared before a judge during an opening session held in the absence of the plaintiff, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISS). Several foreign delegations and Sudanese activists attended the hearing. The next session in the trial has been scheduled for 20 July 2017. Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris are facing six charges, two of which carry either the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) and was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum and runs his own engineering company. Hafiz Idris is a human rights defender who focuses on the rights and well-being of internally displaced persons in Sudan.

On 14 June 2017, the Northern Khartoum Court held the first session in the trial of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris. The two defenders briefly appeared before a judge in the absence of the NISS, which had requested in April 2017 to reopen investigations into their case. Another session has been scheduled for 20 July 2017. On 5 June 2017, the Sudanese State Security Prosecution office officially charged Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris with six offences, some of which carry the death penalty. The charges include publishing false reports, undermining the constitutional system, espionage, waging war against the state, stirring up sectarian hatred and running a terrorist organisation.

Front Line Defenders condemns the trial of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris, and calls on the Sudanese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the human rights defenders as it believes that they are being held solely for their legitimate work on protecting and promoting human rights in Sudan.

In a decision issued on 11 May 2017 by the First Deputy State Prosecutor of Sudan, Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was charged with undermining the constitutional system and waging war against the State – both charges that potentially carry the death penalty.

Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO). Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. The human rights defender holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum and runs his own engineering company.

First Deputy State Prosecutor of Sudan, Abdallah Othman Abdallah, issued his decision on 11 May 2017 in the case of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam. He stated that the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISS) had captured the human rights defender, accusing him of espionage, of working within a network and criminal organisation against the State and in favor of foreign embassies in Khartoum. Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was also accused of supporting armed movements in Darfur and fabricating information about the use of chemical weapons and genocide attempts against civilians by the Sudanese government – all to sabotage the image of the State in order to exert international pressure on Sudan and undermine the constitutional order. The First Deputy State Prosecutor then noted that following investigations as well as testimonies given by the plaintiff and official documents provided, enough preliminary evidence was gathered to make a decision to charge Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam under Articles 21/50/51/53/64/65/66 of the Criminal Law in Sudan. The decision grants Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam one week for appeal from when he is aware of the decision.

On 5 May 2017, the family of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was informed of a decision issued by the recently-appointed Attorney General of Sudan, Omar Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad, to retract a decision issued by the General Prosecutor on 26 March 2017, ordering the release on bail of the human rights defender. According to the decision of the recently-appointed Attorney General, the human rights defender will now not be released on bail and serious allegations against him, which may result in capital punishment, are no longer dropped, as per the decision of the General Prosecutor.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in the Republic of the Sudan to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam as Front Line Defenders believes that he is being held solely as a result of his peaceful work in the defence of human rights;

2. Drop all charges against Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam;

3. Ensure that the treatment of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

4. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Republic of the Sudan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
 

A decision by the Prosecutor General of Sudan on 26 March 2017, promised the release on bail of human rights defenders Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris. The release of the human rights defenders has yet to take place.

Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) and was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum and runs his own engineering company. Hafiz Idris is a human rights defender who focuses on the rights and well-being of internally displaced persons in Sudan.

The National Intelligence and Security Services is reportedly causing the delayed release of the human rights defenders in order to gain time  to appeal the decision of the Prosecutor General and to keep the human rights defenders in detention.

According to the lawyer representing both Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris, serious allegations against the human rights defenders, which may have resulted in capital punishment, have been dropped in the decision of the Prosecutor General.

Front Line Defenders condemns the delay in the release of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris, and calls on the Sudanese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the human rights defenders  as it believes that they are being held solely for their legitimate work on protecting and promoting human rights in Sudan.

As of 10 March 2017, human rights defenders Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris have spent 17 days detained at the office of the Sudanese State Security Prosecutor without any charges issued. The outcome of their judicial process rests on forced confessions obtained by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was formally questioned only once by the State Security Prosecution since his transfer to their offices. Human rights lawyer Tasneem Taha and accountant Nora Abaid have been held in an unknown location since 28 February 2017, which is an apartment cell controlled by the NISS. Tasneem Taha is being increasingly pressured to issue a forced confession against Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam. The families of Tasneem Taha and Nora Abaid are concerned for the well-being and treatment of their daughters as relatives were only permitted to visit them twice and under restricted conditions, before Tasneem Taha and Nora Abaid were brought to the apartment cell in an unknown location.

The Sudanese NISS is known for its use of torture and ill-treatment; over the last few months the NISS have tortured Hafiz Idris in detention to obtain forced confessions that could be used to charge both himself and Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam with serious crimes that may carry the death penalty. Since being tortured, Hafiz Idris has continued to be denied proper health care, both psychological and physical, even while in detention at the office of the State Security Prosecutor in Amarat.

Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) and was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum and runs his own engineering company. Hafiz Idris is a human rights defender who focuses on the rights and well-being of internally displaced persons in Sudan. Tasneem Taha is a human rights lawyer who provides legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses, especially youth and students in El-Fasher (Darfur).

The Prosecution has thus far failed to provide an official charge sheet or conduct proper investigations in the case of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris. The Prosecution is basing the ongoing detention of Hafiz Idris and Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam on forced confessions extracted by the NISS and, therefore, appears to be condoning acts of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment. This is confirmed by the fact that Hafiz Idris has not yet been allowed necessary medical care following his subjection to torture. The Prosecution has also not indicated if it would open an investigation into the torture and ill-treatment of Hafiz Idris and Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, nor has it given an indication that it would exercise its judicial powers to carry out fair trials in this case as it continues to detain both human rights defenders.

The Prosecution has allowed human rights defenders Tasneem Taha and Nora Abaid to remain under NISS control despite the transfer of the case to the Prosecution. Adam El-Sheikh – who is Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s longterm driver – is also being kept under NISS control and had only been brought in once for questioning at the Prosecutor’s office. He was then taken back by the NISS to an unknown location. Similarly, the Prosecution is allowing the NISS to continue holding Tasneem Taha, Nora Abaid and Adam El-Sheikh in unknown locations without guarantees of their well-being and safety, and is also ignoring testimonies that Hafiz Idris has been tortured and that Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is being subjected to ill-treatment.

The health of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam remains a concern as he still has not been permitted to receive the proper medical care that he requires. On 7 March 2017, the Sudanese State Security Prosecution office allegedly refused to allow Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam to see an independent doctor of his choosing despite his poor health condition.

Front Line Defenders calls on the Sudanese authorities to provide adequate medical care to Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Hafiz Idris and to immediately and unconditionally release the aforementioned detainees, as it believes that they are all being held solely for, or in connection with, legitimate work on protecting and promoting human rights in Sudan. Front Line Defenders also calls on the Sudanese authorities to carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment against Hafiz idris and Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, with a view to publishing the results and bringing the perpetrators to justice in accordance with international standards.

On 14 February 2017, 39 human rights groups and activists expressed concern for Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam who has been unlawfully detained since December 7, 2016.

Read the Full Statement Here

On 22 January 2017, Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam started a hunger strike, in protest of his arbitrary detention since 7 December by the Sudanese authorities. Reports today described how members of the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) badly beat him and put him in chains connected to his prison cell. It seems this is an attempt to force him to end his hunger strike.

Download the Urgent Appeal (PDF)

A few days earlier, on 13 January 2017, two of his brothers were able to visit him in prison and described briefly that he had been well. During the visit, Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and his brothers were not allowed to discuss politics or details of his detention in Kober prison in Khartoum.

On 12 January 2017, Front Line Defenders warned that Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and his colleagues had already spent over one month in detention and were therefore at an increasing risk of torture and ill-treatment by Sudanese authorities.

On 7 December 2016, Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and his long-time driver Mr Adam El-Sheikh were arrested on the University of Khartoum campus and forcibly transferred to an unknown location. On 12 December, Ms Nora Abaid, an accountant from Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s engineering company, Lambda Engineering, was arrested by NISS agents who approached her in an unmarked car. They all continue to be detained incommunicado. Under the 2010 National Security Act (NSA), detainees can be held in custody for up to four and a half months without judicial review.

Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the severe beating of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and is seriously concerned for his health and physical well-being. Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned that the human rights defender is not being allowed regular access to his family and legal counsel.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in the Republic of the Sudan to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Mudawi Ibrahim Adam as Front Line Defenders believes that he is being held solely as a result of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;

2. Provide immediate and sufficient medical care for Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, and take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam;

3. Ensure that Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh have immediate and unfettered access to their families and lawyers;

4. Ensure that the treatment of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh , while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

5. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Republic of the Sudan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.

Read also: My Friend Mudawi Tortured in Sudan

On 7 December, Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and his driver Mr Adam El-Sheikh were arrested and forcibly transferred to an unknown location. Following the arrest, several officials of the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) conducted a search of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s house.

Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam is an internationally recognised human rights defender who was the winner of the inaugural 2005 Front Line Defenders Award for human rights defenders. He is the founder and Chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO). The organisation was closed down in 2009 and has not been permitted to resume its activities in spite of winning a court action against its closure. Since its establishment in 2001, SUDO successfully implemented various human rights advocacy projects as well as water, sanitation and health projects in southern Blue Nile, which is one of the most deprived areas in the country. SUDO also engaged in humanitarian activities including providing emergency services in North, South and West Darfur as well as in human rights education and development projects throughout the country. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam was a participant in the national dialogue in Sudan in 2016. The human rights defender holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, is a Professor of Engineering at the University of Khartoum and runs his own engineering company.

As of 8 December, the whereabouts of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and driver Adam El-Sheikh are still unknown.

On 7 December, at around 3.00pm, Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and his driver Adam El-Sheikh were arrested and forcibly transferred to an unknown location from the University of Khartoum campus. Officials from the Sudanese NISS brought Adam El-Sheikh along for a search of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s house. The house was searched thoroughly but nothing was confiscated. There are grave concerns that Adam El-Sheikh may be at serious risk of torture or ill-treatment for the purposes of collecting information about Mudawi Ibrahim Adam.

Human rights defenders in Sudan are frequently subjected to harassment and arbitrary, secret detention by the security forces. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam has previously been targeted by the Sudanese authorities and repeatedly arbitrarily detained by the security forces and kept in incommunicado detention. The human rights defender was imprisoned twice in 2005. In 2004, Mudawi Ibrahim Adam spent seven months in police custody, having been charged, in connection with his human rights work, of committing offences against the state. Following the hearing of his trial on 7 August 2004, all charges against the human rights defender were dropped and he was released.

Front Line Defenders expresses its grave concern at the arrest and detention of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh and is deeply worried about their physical integrity, particularly given the pattern of ill-treatment and torture of activists whilst detained in Sudan. It also expresses its concern at the increased use of arbitrary detention by the NISS as a tool for the repression of the work of human rights defenders in Sudan.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in the Republic of the Sudan to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being held solely as a result of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam’s legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;

2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh;

3. Ensure that Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh have immediate and unfettered access to their families and lawyers;

4. Ensure that the treatment of Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Adam El-Sheikh , while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

5. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Republic of the Sudan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.