Sudan jails Slovene envoy to two years for “spying”
Aug 14, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese court has sentenced Slovene president’s special envoy to two years jail for spying and entering the country illegally, the Sudanese minister of justice said.
The Sudanese minister of Justice, Mohamed Ali al-Mardhi, said that Al-Fashir Criminal Court Monday convicted the Slovenian Tomo Kriznar under Article 53 of the Criminal Law for 1991 (espionage) and Article 66 of the same law (publishing false news) and Article 10 of the Passports, Migration and Nationality Act for 1994 (entering Sudan without an entry visa).
The court sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 dinars and confiscation of exhibits found with the defendant of photography equipment and films.
The court ruled that the defendant shall be expelled after serving his prison term. The defence for the defendant was assumed by Advocate Mohamed Mahjoub, former dean of lawyers in North Darfur State.
Tomo Kriznar, a peace activist who traveled to Sudan’s troubled Darfur region in February as the Slovene president’s envoy, has been held since July 20.
Kriznar entered Sudan without a valid visa through the Chadian border with the help of Darfur rebels.
(ST)