Sudan’s junta declines to scrap death sentences on SPLM-N’s Agar and Arman

May 14, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s military council has declined to cancel death sentences for two leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) jeopardizing rebels’ plans to return to Sudan after the collapse of al-Bashir’s regime.

Last month, SPLM-N led by Malik Agar decided to dispatch a delegation headed by its deputy-chairman Yasir Arman to Khartoum.

The group said that the delegation will meet with its freedom and change allies and the Military Council to insist that the issues of war should be resolved in one package within the transitional arrangements.

According to reliable sources, the leadership of the military council has received contacts from regional leaders urging it to drop the death sentence against the Movement’s leaders and that Arman’s return to Khartoum would strengthen efforts to bring peace to Sudan during the interim period.

The sources confirmed that the military council is “disinclined to cancel the death sentences” and currently prefers to delay issuing such a decision.

The military council said they agreed with the freedom and changes forces to dedicate the first six months of the transitional period for peace talks with the rebel groups.

The government of freedom and change forces can cancel the politically motivated death sentence.

In March 2014, a Sudanese court in Sanjia, SennarState, issued a death sentence in absentia against Agar and Arman for their participation in a rebellion in Blue Nile State in September 2011.

(ST)