Document - Sudan: Further information on Fear for safety/ Torture and Ill-treatment/Disappearance/Detention without charge/Medical concern
PUBLICAI Index: AFR 54/026/2002
26 September 2002
Further information on UA 261/02 (AFR 54/022/2002, 23 August 2002) - Fear for safety/ Torture and ill-treatment/ “Disappearance”/ Detention without charge/ Medical concern
SUDANAbdel Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Nour (m), aged 33, lawyer
Nafir El Din Tampour (m), aged 51, teacher
Ahmed Ibrahim (m), aged 79
63 others
New name:Dawood Haroon (m), aged 36
All the people above, arrested between July and August in Darfur province, have been released, except Dawood Haroon, who is reportedly being held by the security forces in the town of Zalingei, Western Darfur. Dawood Haroon, who was tortured previously, is apparently detained incommunicado without charge. Amnesty International is extremely worried about his state of health resulting from his previous torture and fears that he is at risk of further ill-treatment or torture.
According to information received by Amnesty International, Dawood Haroon,from the area of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur, was arrested in June and severely tortured during his detention. The reason for his arrest is unclear but he was allegedly in possession of a gun. It would appear that he was re-arrested in July or August, at the same time as the other 66 people were arrested. He was transferred to a detention centre in the town of Nyerteitei, Western Darfur, before being transferred back to Zalingei.
Detainees in the prison in Nyala were released on 28 August, and those held in Zalingei were released on 29 August. Amnesty International has received reports that some were tortured during their detention, while others are suffering ill-health because of poor conditions of detention. None of the detainees were part of the so-called “Darfur Liberation Front”. The reasons for their arrest remain unclear.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Arabic or your own language:
- welcoming the release of the 66 detainees;
- expressing deep concern for the health and safety of Dawood Haroon, currently held in Zalingei;
- asking for immediate assurances that Dawood Haroon will not be subjected to ill-treatment or torture, and will have access to immediate and adequate medical treatment for the torture he has already suffered;
- urging the authorities to grant him access to his relatives and legal counsel;
- calling on the authorities to confirm any charges against him or release him immediately;
- calling on the authorities to open independent and impartial investigations into all reports of torture on detainees in Nyala and Zalingei.
APPEALS TO:
(Please note that fax numbers may be difficult to get through to, but please keep trying)
Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Telegrams: Justice Minister, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 774842 / 774906
Salutation: Dear Minister
Major General Abdul-Rahim Muhammed Hussein
Minister of Internal Affairs
Ministry of Interior
PO Box 281
Khartoum
Telegram: Minister of Internal Affairs, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax : + 249 11 774339 / 776554/ 773046 / 770186 / 777900 / 773046 / 770186
Salutation: Dear Minister
Engineer Umar Harun Abdullah
Governor of Western Darfur State
c/o People's Palace
PO Box 281
Khartoum
Telegram: Governor of Western Darfur State, Khartoum, Sudan
Salutation: Dear Sir
Director of Prisons
Ministry of the Interior
PO Box 281
Khartoum
Telegram: Director of Prisons, Ministry of Interior, Khartoum, Sudan
Salutation: Dear Sir
COPIES TO:
Dr Yasir Sid Ahmed
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 11 779173
Salutation: Dear Sir
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 November 2002.