Urgent Action: Free Badreldin Elsimat, February 3, 2019 – PDF
Badreldin Elsimat
Age: 72
Date of Arrest: Saturday, January 12, 2019
Where was he arrested: From his residence in Khartoum, capital city of Sudan
Place of detention: Unknown
Legal basis or reasons for the arrest: None was given.
Mr. Badreldin Elsimat is a known lawyer, author and public speaker. He is founder of the Centre on Ta’weel Studies, an NGO registered in Montreal, Canada. He holds a Canadian passport and lives with his family in Montreal.
Mr. Elsimat has been on a short visit to Khartoum earlier this month. He was planning to travel back to Canada on Thursday, January 17, 2019. However, on Saturday, January 12, 2019, he was literally abducted from his home in Khartoum by unknown persons, and has disappeared ever since. There is scarce information that he was taken into a government security facility. However his family and friends are extremely concerned for his personal safety at this time, and have no information whatsoever about his whereabouts and/or well-being. His arrest was totally arbitrary without even the bare-minimum standards. Mr Elsimat has been due for medical treatment upon his return to Canada.
Mr. Elsimat, like the hundreds of others who are being detained in the same way, has been a vocal critic of the Bashir regime for years through his writings, books and public lectures. He focused his criticism on the ideology of the “Islamic State” on which the Bashir regime depends. As such, he is perceived by the regime to represent a huge ideological threat. You may wish to look up his latest books (in English and French) titled: “The Fallacy of the Islamic State” for more about his thought.
Given the appalling human rights record of the Sudanese regime, particularly with regards to freedom of expression and thought, we have grave concerns for the safety of Mr. Elsimat and request that strong and targeted pressure is put on the Sudanese authorities to secure his immediate release.
• Sudan Human Rights Network (SHRN) is deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of Mr. Elsimat and urge the Sudanese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him.
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