Documento - Tortura / detención en régimen de incomunicación / detención sin cargos

PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 54/005/2003

21 February 2003

UA 52/03 Torture / incommunicado detention / detention without charge

SUDAN Adam Abdel al-Rahman Abdel al-Shafe’ (m), aged 50

Adam Abdel al-Rusul Adam (m), aged 52, farmer

Al-Omda al-Tijani Sayf al-Din (m), aged 55

Al-Omda Abdelallah ‘Ali Harun (m), aged 54, farmer

Abdel al-Qader ‘Issa Abdel al-Qader (m)

Shogar Tur Shogar (m), aged 30, student

Abdel al-Karim (m), aged 40, merchant (last name not known)

Mohammad Abdel al-Jabbar Kundi (m), aged 27, student

Abdel al-Naser Isma’il (m), aged 35, teacher

Al-Sadeq Musa Al-Dum (m), aged 25, student

Abdelallah (last name unknown) (m), aged 25, shepherd

Da’ud Shurum (m) aged 35, farmer

Mohammad Hamed Abdel al-Mulla (m), aged 41, teacher

The 13 individuals named above, all from the Fur ethnic group, were detained at the end of January by the authorities in different villages in the Darfur region, western Sudan. Some of the detainees have reportedly been tortured, and all 13 continue to be at risk of torture. They are currently being held incommunicado without charge.

According to reports, they were first taken to a detention centre in the town of Nyertetei and then transferred to another detention centre in the town of Zalingei. It is alleged that they are now detained in the town of Geneina, the capital of western Darfur. The reason for their detention is unknown.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Fur ethnic group are mainly from the Darfur region. Over the past few years hundreds of civilians, mostly from agricultural ethnic groups like the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa, have been killed or wounded, homes have been burnt and herds looted by nomadic groups. Sometimes dozens of civilians have been killed in a single raid. In one such incident on 1 January 2003, the village of Singita, 14 km south of Kas was attacked by armed horsemen. About 25 people are reported to have been killed, 10 of whom were subsequently thrown into fire by the attackers. In response to these clashes the government has often detained community leaders incommunicado without charge or trial. Amnesty International has called for a Commission on Inquiry into the deteriorating situation in Darfur.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Arabic or your own language:

- expressing grave concern at the incommunicado detention of the 13 detainees arrested in Darfur at the end of January and at reports that some of them have been of tortured;

- calling on the authorities to immediately confirm the whereabouts of the detainees and to give assurances that they will not be tortured or ill treated;

- calling for a full investigation into allegations of torture of some of the detainees;

- calling on the authorities to abide by its commitments under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and either charge the detainees with a recognizably criminal offence and give them a prompt and fair trial in accordance with international standards or set them free immediately;

- urging the authorities to allow the detainees immediate and unrestricted access to their relatives, legal counsel and any medical aid they may need.

APPEALS TO:

Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin

Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Ministry of Justice

Khartoum, Sudan

Telegrams: Justice Minister, Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: + 249 11 799031

Salutation: Dear Minister

Major General Abdul-Rahim Muhammed Hussein

Minister of Internal Affairs

Ministry of Interior

PO Box 281

Khartoum, Sudan

Telegram: Minister of Internal Affairs, Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: + 249 11 774339 / 776554/ 773046 / 770186 / 777900 / 773046 / 770186

Salutation: Dear Minister

Ustaz Abul-Basit Sabdarat

President=s Adviser on Legal and Political Affairs

Office of the President

People=s Palace

PO Box 281

Khartoum, Sudan

Telegram: President=s Adviser on Legal and Political Affairs, Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: +249 11 771 651 / 787676 / 7832332 /

Salutation: Dear Sir

Engineer Umar Harun Abdullah

Governor of Western Darfur State

c/o People's Palace

PO Box 281

Khartoum, Sudan

Telegram: Governor of Western Darfur State, Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: +249 11 771 651 / 787676 / 7832332

Salutation: Dear Sir

Director of Prisons

Ministry of the Interior

PO Box 281

Khartoum, Sudan

Telegram: Director of Prisons, Ministry of the 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 / 770883

and to diplomatic representatives of Sudan accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 4 April 2003.