Detention of Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam

Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO)

Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, the Chair of the non-governmental organisation Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO), together with his friend Salah Mohamed Abdelrahman, was arrested at 11pm GMT on Sunday 24 January 2005 by members of Sudan’s National Security and Intelligence Agency.

The two men were taken from Dr Mudawi’s family home in Kondua, a village in North Kordofan, and are now being held in the National Security Office in Khartoum.

So far, since being transferred to Khartoum on 27 January no-one has been allowed to see Dr Mudawi or Salah Mohamed Abdelrahman. Previously they had been held in the National Security and Intelligence Agency Office in ElObeid, North Kordofan where one of Dr Mudawi’s relatives was able to visit him on 25 January.

Born in 1956, Dr Mudawi is married and has 4 children. PHd in Mechanical Engineering, he is associate professor in the faculty of engineering and architecture in Khartoum since 1982. In 1995 Dr Mudawi became the director of Lambda Engineering in Khartoum North. This factory is notably involved in the design and manufacture of water supply systems to household, villages and urban residential areas.

In parallel to these activities, Dr Mudawi is the Chairman of Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO). SUDO – a voluntary organization created to promote sustainable development and Human Rights – organizes a number of workshops on subjects connected with Human Rights. It is also engaged in humanitarian activities by providing emergency services in North, South and West of Darfur.

Dr Mudawi had previously been arrested on 28 December 2003, and later charged with crimes against the state. All charges against Dr Mudawi were dropped in August 2004.

Until now, no charges have been pressed yet against either Dr Mudawi, Salah Mohamed Abdelrahman, or reasons to their relatives for their incarcerations.

Since his arrest, SUDO has engaged in many efforts to ensure that his Rights are respected. Some interventions have been done notably:

– A council of Defence (50 Sudanese Lawyers) has submitted a petition to the Advisory Council for Human Rights (claiming the immediate release of Dr. Mudawi);
– The Office of High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) has met with the Ministry of Justice and the Advisory Council Department to exert pressure on the issue;
– Amnesty International, Human Rights and Front Line First have been actively perusing the issue;

SUDO is urgently asking:

– To ensure that Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Salah Mohamed Abdelrahman are given immediate and regular access to their relatives, lawyers and any medical assistance that they may need;
– To give assurances that the two men will not be ill-treated while in detention;
– To promptly inform the two men and their families of the reasons for their arrests – if they are not charged with a recognizably criminal offence they should be released immediately;

SUDO, his family and the Human Rights Bodies appreciate any help it can get on this matter

Appeals to:
– Mr. Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, First Vice-President
– Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, Minister of Justice and Attorney General
– Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs

A Copy to:

– Dr Abdelmoniem Osman Taha, Advisory Council for Human Rights

– Sudan Social Development Organization
– Building No. 17, Block 4, West Ed Dieum [as Saganah]
– P. O. Box 11926, Khartoum 11111
– E-mail: [email protected]