Sudan permits medical care for detained politician
August 26, 2007 (EL-GENEINA) – Sudan granted jailed opposition leader Mubarak al-Fadil urgently needed medical attention after more than 40 days in detention without charge, his daughter said on Sunday.
Fadil, the head of the Umma Party for Reform and Renewal, his party secretary-general Abdel Jalil al-Basha and Ali Mahmoud Hassanein from the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) were among 25 people arrested last month accused of trying to overthrow the government.
Fadil had a long-overdue endoscopy on Saturday after negotiations with national security officials holding him. His family said he was in very poor health.
“He’s clearly very unwell. He said he had been unable to breathe the past few days,” said Habab Mubarak, his daughter.
She said the doctor had prescribed many types of medication and a strict diet, which he would be unable to follow in jail.
Sudanese officials arrested the suspects on July 14, accusing them of a plot to overthrow the government and when that plot failed, to create chaos in the capital. None of the detainees has been charged.
The opposition said earlier this month it was concerned authorities were targeting opposition parties ahead of elections due by the end of 2009.
On Sunday morning at 2 a.m. (2300 GMT) two armed vehicles blocked the front and back entrances of Hassan al-Turabi’s house for 90 minutes. Turabi is the leader of a third opposition party in Khartoum.
“It’s a show of force … a message to the opposition,” said a party official.
Sudan on Thursday expelled European Union Ambassador Kent Degerfelt and acting Canadian Charge D’affaires Nuala Lawlor for writing to security officials enquiring about the detainees.
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said on Saturday Degerfelt could return to complete the three weeks left in his mission.
Lawyers who were due to see Fadil on Saturday for the first time have had their appointment postponed to later this week.
Fadil has told his family the investigating committee agreed with him that he had nothing to do with the alleged attempt to sabotage government.
(Reuters)