Sudan frees two women jailed over protest against price hikes
By Namaa AL-Mahdi
Sept 8, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has ordered to free two women opposition politicians jailed after protests against the 30% rise in the basic commodities prices.
Meriam al-Mahdi, daughter of former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, and Marwa al-Manoun, both leading members of the opposition Umma party, were released on the president’s orders.
The two women had been sentenced to two months’ and one month’s imprisonment respectively in notorious Omdurman Criminal Jail at Thursday’s trial.
They were among 20 of demonstrators who received custodial sentences from the Khartoum criminal courts over Wednesday’s demonstration in the capital.
Police used teargas and batons to halt the march called to protest cuts in the state subsidies on sugar and fuel.
The practice of unjust justice prevails in the Sudan. The case of 52 peaceful demonstrators held in police custody last was heard Thursday at The Criminals Justice Court- Khartoum North, Khartoum Sudan.
Siddig Sadiq al-Mahdi, leading member of the Umma Party was sentenced to one-month imprisonment, Dr Mariam Sadig al-Mahdi, prominent Sudanese politician was sentenced to two months imprisonment and Ms. Marwa Al Mamoun was sentenced to one moth imprisonment.
Mrs. Sara Nougdalla, wife of the former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, and member of the Umma Party leadership, was freed without charge, it is estimated that 20 of the 52 were jailed and the others left to go after spending a horrendous and cramped afternoon and night in the small dark cells of Khartoum North (Al- Shimaliya) Police Station.
Omdurman criminals’ detention facilities are notorious for their filthy cells, flooded latrines, swamp filled grounds, lack of power supply and mosquito and cockroach infested cells. Several inmates are known to pass out at the state of the Omdurman prisons, which are well known to be the most unhygienic and wretched criminal detention unit in Khartoum state.
Omsalma Sadiq al-Mahdi was one of the participants in Wednesday’s peaceful demonstrations in the Sudan’s capital city Khartoum, she described the scene of the arrests and the following Criminal Court Justice inflicted on her brother and sister Siddig and Mariam.
“We weren’t allowed to form any type of gathering, every time we gathered the riots police would throw tear gas at us and we would disperse, at the end, we gave up. We were heading for our cars when two vans full of non-uniformed policemen approached us. They started attacking with no due cause, we had already dispersed and we were heading back home to our families and children. Siddig my brother threw himself over me to protect me from the blows from the sticks, my cousin Essam threw himself over my sister, (Randa) and he suffered three sticks broken across his back for that. Zeinab Mudauwi received a battering over her head; she was later hospitalized, but was released from hospital that very night”.
“Siddig was merely protecting us when he was dragged away by the police; Mariam was dragged along with him”.
“Today’s trials were held in the Criminal Justice Courts of Khartoum, yet we saw no justice. The witness who was brought in to testify against Mariam only said lies; the defence was very strong, but in vain. I sent a piece of paper to the defense lawyer to indicate that I wanted to testify and that I was with her at the time and that I witnessed everything, I was taken out of the court room. Mariam felt that the Judge had already passed his sentence before the trial, she was charged with disturbing the peace, inciting riots in the capital city, planning to undermine Sudanese authorities and being offensive to police officers. Mariam pleaded guilty to all the charges. I was allowed into Siddig’s trial, he denied all the charges but was still sentenced to a month in jail”
“ I saw where they detained my brother Siddig- it was a small, dark and filthy cell, about 5 x 4 meters or less, there were no decks. There were 45 other prisoners held in there with him and they had food thrown onto the cell’s floors- they will be taking both Siddig and Mariam to Omdurman’s prison. We are now staying with Mariam’s children, we are having difficulties with the twins because they need to nurse from their mother and we can only offer them a powdered alternative.”
The following morning and afternoon truck loads of Riot police litter the streets of Khartoum, uniformed police with truck loads of machine guns and rifles watch over Shari Al Qasr. Others are dispersed across the city, Al Souk Al Arabi, Shari Al Jamhouria, Shari Al Jamia. Machine guns are held across the street from Khartoum University, Al Nieleen University and other public institutions. The streets of Khartoum are relatively empty.
(ST)