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UA 427/91 - Sudan: Lual Wuol Tong, Garang Tong Tong, Paul Wuol Deng, Manut Majok Dut, William Santino Gumaa, Wal Akol Akong

, Index number: AFR 54/025/1991

EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AFR 54/25/91
Distr: UA/SC
UA 427/91 Death Penalty 6 December 1991
SUDAN: Lual Wuol Tong
Garang Tong Tong
Paul Wuol Deng
Manut Majok Dut
William Santino Gumaa
Wal Akol Akong
On 27 October 1991, the six men named above were sentenced to death by hanging.
They were convicted, under the new Islamic Penal Code introduced in March
1991, by a High Court in Khartoum of murdering and robbing four people in Kalakla,
Khartoum South. The six men were apparently convicted on the basis of what
the judge described as circumstantial evidence. It is not known whether they
were allowed proper legal representation at their trial or whether they have
a right of appeal to a higher court.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the March 1991 penal code, crimes such as murder and armed robbery are
punishable by death. In the last two months, at least eleven men have been
sentenced to death on such charges. One of them, Ibrahim Dubara Mongho was
hanged in public in El-Fashir, the capital of the Darfur region, on 9 November
1991 (see UA 400/91, AI Index AFR 54/22/91, 15 November 1991). In early August
13 other criminal prisoners were executed in Kober prison in Khartoum.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances,
as a violation of the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel,
inhuman or degrading punishment, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/express and airmail letters:
- expressing concern that Lual Wuol Tong, Garang Tong Tong, Paul Wuol Deng,
Manut Majok Dut, William Santino Gumaa and Wal Akol Akong have been sentenced
to death;
- expressing concern that they have reportedly been convicted on what the judge
described as "circumstantial evidence";
- asking whether they have been allowed to appeal to a higher court, referring
to the Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the
Death Penalty which were adopted by the United Nations in May 1984. One of
these safeguards stipulates that anyone sentenced to death should have the
right of appeal to a higher court;
- referring to Sudan's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Sudan ratified in 1986, not to impose the
death penalty except for "the most serious crimes", and as a quite exceptional
measure;
- explaining Amnesty International's opposition to the death penalty in all
cases as a violation of the right to life and the right not to be subjected
to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, as proclaimed in the
2
Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- appealing for commutation of their death sentences.
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Lieutenant General Your Excellency
Omar Hassan al-Bashir
Head of State and Chairman of the NSRCC
People's Palace
PO Box 281
Khartoum, Sudan
Telegrams: Lt Gen Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Khartoum, Sudan
Telex: 22385 PEPLC SD or 22411 KAID SD
Brigadier-General al-Zubeir Mohamed Saleh Your Excellency
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior
and Deputy Chairman of the NSRCC
People's Palace
PO Box 281
Khartoum, Sudan
Telegrams: Brig-Gen al-Zubeir Mohamed Saleh, Khartoum, Sudan
Telex: 22842 WZARA SD or 22604 IPOL SD
Brigadier Ahmad Mahmoud Hassan Dear Minister
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Telegrams: Brig Ahmad Mahmoud Hassan, Khartoum, Sudan
Telex: 22459 KHRJA SD or 22461 KHRJA SD (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr Ali Sahloul Dear Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873
Khartoum, Sudan
Telegrams: Mr Ali Sahloul, Khartoum, Sudan
COPIES TO:
Mr Jalal Ali Lutfi
Chief Justice
Law Courts
Khartoum, Sudan
and to diplomatic representatives of Sudan in your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 17 January 1992.

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