Darfur: Arbitrary Arrests; Fear of Torture
SOAT
On 23 May 2005, soldiers from the armed forces in Sanya Afondu village, East of Nyala arrested six family members of Ibrahim Soulieman Adam including his mother and two sisters. The detainees were arrested at Mr. Ibrahim’s house in Sanya Afondu and taken to a hole in the ground in a military camp, 1km West of Sanya Afondu. Mr. Ibrahim’s mother was later released.
During the arrest, the persons including the women were subjected to torture. According to eye witness accounts, the soldiers beat them with their guns and hands and kicked them. The details of the detainees are as follows:
Hawa Soulieman Adam, (35 yrs), W
Makka Soulieman Adam, (37 yrs), W
Salih haroun Ahmed, (17 yrs), M
Najmel dean Abdel Majead, (35 yrs) M
Yousif Ali Omer, (36 yrs), M
Mr. Ibrahim family members were arrested after Mr. Ibrahim, represented by SOAT network of lawyers lodged a complaint against the armed forces in Sanya Afondu before the attorney general regarding his arbitrary arrest, detention and torture in a hole in the ground for eight days. The attorney General has accepted the complaint and ordered preliminary investigation. Mr. Ibrahim was arrested on 19 January 2005 in Sanya Afondu village and subjected to torture reportedly under the command of Lieutenant Mahmoud Mohamed Altoub. Mr. Ibrahim was released on 27 January and received medical treatment for his injuries at Amel Medical Centre for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims in Nyala, SOAT partner organisation in Nyala.
SOAT strongly condemns the violence the arbitrary arrests and systematic use of torture with impunity in Darfur. SOAT expresses fear for the safety of all of the detainees and is calling on the GoS security to give assurances that they will not be further tortured or ill-treated.
SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to:
– Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees;
– Immediately release all the detainees in the absence of valid legal charges, or if legitimate charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times;
– Ensure that all the detainees have access to legal advice
– Immediately cease its campaign of intimidation and harassment of persons in the Darfur region and to respect international humanitarian law and to end impunity for crimes committed by the government security forces;
– Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association throughout Sudan in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
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