Rights defenders are still harassed in Sudan’s Darfur – SOAT

On 16 September 2006 Security Forces in el Fashir, North Darfur arrested three social workers working at the Amel Centre for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture.

The three women were arrested at midday from the Amel Centre and taken to the offices of the National Security Bureau (NSB) in el Fashir where they were detained for approximately six hours. During the period of detention the women were interrogated about the activities of the Amel Centre and about reports on the human rights situation in Darfur that have been sent to international organizations operating outside of Sudan.

The three social workers who were arrested and interrogated are:

1. Saffaa Abdel Rahim Saror (f)

2. Nafisa Mohamed Adam (f)

3. Awatif Mohamed Adam (f)

On 2 September 2006 the office of the NSB sent an official letter summoning Ms. Saffaa Abdel Rahim Saror to report again to the offices of the NSB on 3 September 2006.

SOAT is concerned for the safety of Ms. Saffaa Abdel Rahim Saror and calls on the Government of National Unity to guarantee her safety.

Background

SOAT’s partner organisation in Sudan, the Amel Centre for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture has offices in Khartoum, Nyala and el Fashir. The Amel Centre offers free medical consultation and treatment, psychosocial support and legal aid to victims of torture and sexual violence and represents individuals at risk of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments including the death penalty and amputations.

There has been a sharp increase in the harassment of human rights defenders working in Sudan over the past six months, and in particular harassment by Security Forces of staff and volunteers working at the Amel Centre.

The summoning of the social workers in el Fashir follows a long list of arrests and harassment of Amel centre staff since May 2006.

Last month, SOAT reported the harassment of Mr. Mohamed Badawi, human rights lawyer and coordinator of the Amel in el Fashir. Mr. Badawi was summoned for interrogation over a period of two days on 9 and 10 September 2006. Mr. Badawi was also interrogated about the activities of the Amel centre and the relationship between the centre and international organisations.

Other human rights defenders from the Amel Centre who have been summoned and interrogated since May 2006 include:

? Mossaad Mohamed Ali (m) lawyer and Coordinator of the Amel Center, Nyala

? Rasha Souraj (f), volunteer lawyer at the Amel Centre, Nyala

? Ebtisam Alsemani, (f) volunteer lawyer at the Amel Center, Nyala

? Adam Mohammed Shareif (m), volunteer lawyer at the Amel Center, Nyala

? Najat DafaAlla (f), volunteer lawyer at the Amel Center, Nyala

? Dr. Nagib Nagm Eldin, Director of the Amel Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture, Khartoum

Also, on 15 May 2006, Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Abdullah, Medical Director at the Amel Centre, Nyala, was summoned by the NSB on his telephone. Dr. Mohamed Ahmed was unable to report immediately as he was due to participate in meeting on the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). At 16:00 hrs, approximately 150 armed officers carrying heavy weapons surrounded the compound where the meeting was being held and 50 of the officers interrupted the meeting and announced that they had come to arrest Dr. Mohammed for attending an illegal meeting under State of Emergency rules. The Army officers eventually left the meeting without arresting Dr. Mohamed Ahmed following the intervention of Omar Fur, the Minister of Agriculture in Darfur state.

SOAT strongly condemns the pattern of harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders working in Darfur.

The strategy of repeated harassment, summoning and interrogation is clearly intended to intimidate human rights defenders and to prevent them from carrying out their essential work.

SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to respect its obligations under the African Commission Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, which provides that ?Every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person ?in particular, no one may be arbitrarily arrested or detained? (article 6); as well as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which provides that ?for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels:(a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups; (c) To communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations (article 5)?.

SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to:

– Guarantee the safety of Ms. Saffaa Abdel Rahim Saror
Immediately cease the campaign of intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders in Darfur;
– Adhere to commitments enshrined in Interim National Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan, 2005 which guarantees Freedom of Expression (article 39) and Freedom of Assembly and Association (article 40)
– Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws, the National Interim Constitution and international human rights laws and standards.

SOAT is an international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

Argo House, Kilburn Park Road, London NW6 5LF, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055, Fax: +44 (0)20 7372 2656, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.soatsudan.org