African human rights body urges Khartoum to free three Sudanese defenders
December 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) this week condemned the arrest of several Sudanese human rights defenders and urged Khartoum to free them.
Adam’s was arrested on 7 December after a first three-day protest from 27 to 29 November and before a call for a second general strike on 19 December.
“The Special Rapporteur notes that the constant arrests and detention of human rights defenders by security forces of the Republic of The Sudan is a tactic used by the Sudanese authorities to obstruct the work of human right defenders and activist, in their promotion and protection of human rights,” said the ACHPR in a statement issued on 13 but extended to the ST on Saturday.
The rapporteur further condemned the detention of Sudanese human rights defenders and called on the government to “provide clarification” over the arrest of the three defenders to the ACHPR which is a quasi-judicial body established by the African Union to promote and protect human rights.
The “Immediately release all human rights defenders arbitrarily arrested and to refrain from repeatedly summoning, questioning and detaining human rights defenders; including Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Mr. Akram Ahmed,” stressed the statement .
Sudan is a signatory of African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights since 1982, accordingly it has the obligations to guarantee fundamental rights including the right to “liberty and security of the person and to be protected from arbitrary arrests and detention; the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression”.
Following the announcement of a new austerity plan increasing fuel and electricity prices last November, NISS arrested over 40 opposition figures and activists to prevent protests against these measures.
(ST)