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Sudan Tribune

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SLM-Minnawi warns Khartoum against carrying out death sentences in its members

November 27, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM -MM) Mini Minnawi denounced the death penalty handed yesterday to 18 of its members and warned Khartoum against carrying it out.

Two Sudanese members of a Darfur rebel group attend their trial session in the city of Omdurman, Sudan Aug. 20, 2008 (Photo AFP)
Two Sudanese members of a Darfur rebel group attend their trial session in the city of Omdurman, Sudan Aug. 20, 2008 (Photo AFP)
The defendants were arrested following the capture of Ba’ashim area, north-west of Mellit in North Darfur last March by the Sudanese army and militiamen of the Rapid Security Forces (RSF).

The defendants faced charges of undermining the constitutional system, stir up war against the state, using heavy weapons, looting and destroying the citizens’ properties and threatening local peace security.

Minnawi said in a statement today that the verdicts “do not respect the rules of justice and international law for the protection of prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention”.

He called on all political forces, civil society and humanitarian organizations, local, regional and international to launch a campaign to save their lives.

Minnawi described this as a political trial “intended to humiliate the Sudanese people and avenge for the defeats received by the regime at the hands of our forces”.

The rebel chief recalled that they released scores of Sudanese army POW’s with the remaining ones receiving good treatment.

It is to be noted that the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and SLM-MM called during their recent negotiations with the Sudanese government to release its detained members but the government swiftly rejected this demand.

(ST)

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