Sudanese authorities ban travel of a prominent rights activist

May 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese opposition “Sudan Call” forces said that authorities have prevented on Monday a prominent rights activist Amin Mekki Madani from leaving the country stating that a travel ban issued against him in December is still in force.

Madani, who heads the alliance of the Sudanese Civil Society Organisations, spent four months in detention along with the chairman of the opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF), Farouk Abu Issa after signing the “Sudan Call” accord with the rebels in Addis Ababa last December.

The “Sudan Call’’ forces said in a statement that Madani was unable to travel to Cairo through Khartoum airport, pointing the airport authorities told him that a travel ban issued against him by the state security prosecution office since 23 December, 2104 is still in forces.

According to the statement, Madani said the minister of justice ordered his release after he had cancelled charges filed against him and stopped all ensuing procedures, pointing the prosecution should have cancelled all orders pertaining to the charges.

“The decision of the minister of justice under article (58/1) of the criminal code means cancellation of the criminal charges and stopping all procedures resulting from them including confinement, seizure of property and travel ban and other procedures,” he said.

Madani and Abu Issa were released by a decision of the justice minister under article (58/1) of the criminal code which gives him the right to freeze the lawsuit against the defendants.

The rights activist added the ministry of justice should have notified the concerned bodies to stop all the procedures, wondering how he could follow up on them instead of the authorities.

The statement pointed that Madani waited for several hours at the state security prosecution offices on Monday to get a clearance letter, stressing they did not give him the letter but promised to allow him to travel.

(ST)