Waves of Repression in Sudan, January 2012 – PDF
Sudan Human Rights Network (SHRN) is alarmed by the recent wave of arbitrary arrest of human rights activists, trade unionist and members of opposition parties. The advent of 2012 witnesses the escalation of repressive methods used by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) against political, human rights advocates and the media. The recent wave of repression coincides with increased public unrest brought about by deteriorating economic and political conditions following the breakup of the country in July 2011. The government of the National Congress also continues its armed repression against its citizens in multiple fronts stretching from Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan. In Southern Kordofan almost 300.000 have been severely affected by the ongoing war. In Blue Nile aerial bombardment left tens of thousands of civilians in dire need for urgent humanitarian support.
The government of Sudan continues its attack on press freedom, which includes the targeting of individual journalists and publications through contrived legal proceedings, politicized criminal charges, and several newspaper confiscations the latest of which occurred on January 12, 2012 against “Alwan” newspaper. The Press and Printed Press Material Act of 2009 imposes heavy fines for infractions by the media, establishes a Press Council that granted executive regulatory powers, notably the power to suspend newspapers without judiciary approval for up to three days. The law also allows the State to impose restrictions on the press for national security and public discipline considerations. On Monday January 2, 2012 NISS has suspended the publication of the daily newspaper “Rayalshab” and ten days later suspended “Alwan” newspaper on Thursday January 12, 2012, NISS did not disclose to the editors the reason behind this move.
During 2011 over 20 journalists were arrested, 6 newspapers closed, that include Khartoum Monitor, Sudan Tribune, Juba Post, The Advocate, The Democrat and Ajras Alhuria, and countless of confiscation of printed papers. On September 2011, three journalists including Rasha Awad, Faiz Elselaik and Khalid Fadul were banned from writing in newspapers NISS threatened to confiscate any newspaper that contradict the ban. Following the alleged arrest, torture and rape of Safia Ishag, an artist and human rights activists, NISS file defamation cases against number of journalists who sympathetically covered her case. Among journalists sued were Faisal Mohammed Salih, Dr. Omar Elgarray, Fatima Ghazali, Amal Habbani, and Dr. Nahid Mohamed Elhassan. On December 12, 2011, after a guilty verdict was announced in the case file by NISS against Aljareeda newspaper, NISS announced that Aljareeda will be allowed to resume publication after 3
months suspension. Dozens of opposition members and outspoken activists have been arrested, interrogated or harassed. Najla Sid Ahmed a blogger was interrogated and her home was searched without a warrant, her PC Desktop and cameras were confiscated by NISS.
The University of Khartoum was closed on 12/29/2011, and students ordered out of the dorms as students demonstrated against the increasing cost of living and in support of Manaseer, a riverine ethnic group, who were forcibly displaced from their land in “River Nile State” to allow for the construction of Merowe dam and they did not receive fair compensation or enough support despite the fact that their villages were completely flooded and destroyed. Demonstrations in support of Manaseer’s plight broke up at universities of Port Sudan, River Nile State, Gedarif and Kassala whereby the government used excessive force to disperse the demonstrators. NISS continue targeting university students, on December 26, 2011 Mohammed Hassan Alim, a fresh graduate of engineering, was taken at gun point from his home in Khartoum. Alim arrest happened few days after confrontation with the presidential assistant and deputy chairman of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Nafie Ali Nafie in a symposium organized by the chapter of the NCP at Khartoum University. Alim remained incommunicado
since his arrest and his family had no access to him or to his whereabouts.
The government continues its crackdown on opposition parties and human rights activists. Recently the security chief, Mohammed Atta, claimed that the security apparatus had laid their hand on evidence linking opposition groups to the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces- an alliance of armed groups fighting to overthrow the government. Atta accused the opposition parties of hypocrisy and serving foreign agendas in the pursuit of taking power. On December 19, 2011, Ibrahim ElSanousi, 75 years old- secretary general of the Popular Congress Party, was arrested upon his arrival from Juba at Khartoum’s airport and since he was being held in unknown location. Also two human rights activists who were arrested last year have been detained without being charged. Bushra Gammar, human rights activist, was arrested since June 25, 2011. Abdelmoniem Rahma, poet and writer, and the former advisor to the governor of Blue Nile state, was arrested by national security officials in Damazin-capital of Blue Nile- on September
2, 2011, his whereabouts still remain a mystery.
SHRN demands the reform of the 2009 Press and Publication Act which is in clear contradiction to the country’s national, regional and international standards.
SHRN urges the government of Sudan to immediately end the harassment, poor treatment and intimidation of journalists, lifting of the ban on all journalists whom been suspended from writing and immediately reinstate all suspended newspapers.
SHRN urges he government of Sudan to refrain from using excessive force to subdue peaceful protests.
SHRN demands that the authority should either charge or release the political and human rights detainees. NISS track records of ill treatment and torture of detainees raises serious concerns about the safety of detainees.
Not logged in