Two Sudanese opposition students face death penalty: SCoP
July 5, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) on Tuesday said that two students belonging to its chapter at the Omdurman Ahlia University (OAU) are facing charges which could bring the death penalty.
The two students were arrested by the NISS during the anti-government protests that had swept Sudanese universities last April following statements by the tourism minister about government intentions to sell University of Khartoum (UofK) land.
The statement pointed that charges have been filed against the two students under article (50) of the 1991 Criminal Act on undermining the constitutional order and article (53) on spying against the state.
It added that Sabah al-Zain was detained from his home on May 12, saying neither his family nor his lawyer were able to meet him since then.
“No charges have been filed against him throughout this period until he was handed over to the state prosecution office which filed a criminal case under provisions of laws items that don’t allow release on bail and punishable by death” read the statement.
The SCoP also pointed that a third student, Asim Omer, from its chapter at the UofK is facing charges punishable by death under article (130) on premeditated murder.
It added that Omer was detained by the NISS on May 2 and has been handed over to the police on May 6, saying the police had initially filed charges against him under article (139) on serious harm but later changed them to article (130) on premeditated murder.
The police had previously said that at least two of its officers had died from wounds they sustained during clashes with the UofK students in April and May.
The SCoP stressed that its students are facing a fierce security and political campaign, saying the NISS seeks to curb its peaceful struggle to overthrow the regime.
The statement further held what it called “the regime’s militias inside the universities” responsible for killing two students during April protests, pledging to exert every effort to defend the students against the “fabricated charges”.
Two students Mohamed al-Sadiq of OAU and Abu Bakr Siddiq of Kordofan University were killed during violent clashes between government and opposition supporters respectively on 27 and 19 April.
(ST)