Fwd: No. 27440: Sudan: Political activist at risk of torture -- Sudan and South Sudan

AfricaFiles

Action: Sudan: Political activist at risk of torture
Act By: 12/20/2014
Sponsor: Amnesty International
Other Contact Info: UrgentAction@amnesty.ca
Action Site: http://www.amnesty.ca/urgentaction

African Charter Article# 9: Every individual shall have the right to receive information and express their opinions.

Summary & Comment: The owner of a printing company, who is also an environmentalist and may well be a prisoner of conscience, is in danger of torture. Please intervene on his behalf as suggested below. JS

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UA 290/14
AI Index: AFR 54/022/2014
14 November 2014

Sudan: Political activist at risk of torture

A Sudanese political activist has been detained without charge in Khartoum, since 23 September after being arrested by security forces. He is at risk of torture and other ill treatment.

Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash, a 35-year-old father and owner of a printing company was arrested on 23 September during a raid on his company by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). He was allegedly involved in printing posters that intended to commemorate protestors who were killed during the protests which occurred in September 2013. The NISS confiscated the posters before arresting him. He is currently detained at Kober prison in Khartoum and has been held without charge for over 50 days.

Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash's family and supporters have staged a number of protests outside the NISS headquarters and the Ministry of Justice in Khartoum requesting his immediate release.

Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash was among over 70 political activists arrested by the NISS between 17 and 23 September to prevent events planned to mark the first anniversary of the September 2013 protests. In early October 2014 most of those arrested were released without charge and former detainees reported they had been tortured and ill-treated while in detention.

There are credible fears that Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment. The Sudanese authorities must charge him with a recognizable offence and grant him a fair trial, or immediately release him.

Please send a fax, email or letter without delay. (Postage is $2.50.)

* Urge the authorities to ensure that Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash is either charged with a recognizable offence or is immediately and unconditionally released.

* Insist that he has access to a lawyer of his own choosing, to medical treatment and to his family.

* Ask for guarantees that Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash is not subjected to torture or any ill-treatment.

Here is the contact information you need:

Minister of Justice:

Mohamed Bushara Dousa
Ministry of Justice
PO Box 302, Al Nil Avenue
Khartoum, Sudan
E-mail: moj@moj.gov.sd

Fax: 011 249 183 791 544
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Ali Ahmed Karti
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 302, Republic Street
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: 011 249 183 772 941
Salutation: Your Excellency

Please send a copy to:
Mr Osman Abufatima Adam
Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of Sudan
354 Stewart Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6K8
Fax: (613) 235-6880
E-mail: osman.abufatima@sudanembassy.ca OR sudanembassy-canada@rogers.com

Minister of Interior:
Ismat Abdul-Rahman Zain Al-Abdin
Ministry of Interior
PO Box 873
Khartoum, Sudan
E-mail: mut@isoc.sd

Additional information:
In September 2013, protests broke out in cities around Sudan after President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir announced cuts to fuel subsidies on 22 September. The following day, thousands of protesters took to the streets in the city of Wad Madani, East of Sudan, followed by the capital Khartoum, and the cities of Omdurman, Port Sudan, Atbara, Gedarif, Nyala, Kosti, and Sinnar. The Sudanese police and NISS officers used disproportionate force - including firing tear gas and live ammunition - to disperse the demonstrations. Between 23 and 28 September 2013, at least 200 protestors were killed, scores more were injured and over 600 were arrested. Amnesty International has called on the Government of Sudan to conduct thorough, independent and impartial investigations into unlawful killings, especially during the September 2013 protests.

Rashid Shikhaldeen Abash has also been an active environmental campaigner for several years and is the current chairperson of the Nubian Youth Committee against the Kajbar and Dal Dams project in Northern Sudan State. Activists are concerned that the Kajbar and Dal Dams may submerge over 500 ancient archaeological sites, and have a detrimental impact on the environment.

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Urgent Actions
Amnesty International Canada
3 - 1992 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1Z7
416 363 9933 ext. 325 / Fax 416 363 3103
http://www.amnesty.ca/urgentaction
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the AfricaFiles' editors and network members. They are included in our material as a reflection of a diversity of views and a variety of issues. Material written specifically for AfricaFiles may be edited for length, clarity or inaccuracies.

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