Amnesty calls for medical care to Sudanese opposition figure

August 11, 2007 (LONDON) — Amnesty International has called upon Sudanese government to allow a last month detained opposition figure to have access to medical care.

“Amnesty International is calling for Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi to have access to medical care while in detention, including access to his own doctor as provided for in international standards.” Said Amnesty in a press statement issued today.

Sudanese security services on Saturday July 14arrested the leaders of the Umma Reform and Renewal opposition party over allegations of planning sabotage actions in the country.

Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi, who is detained in Kober prison, in Khartoum North, suffers from a number of related gastro-oesophageal problems for which he has been taking medication with only partial success.

According to Amnesty Mubarak, a 57 year-old, was due to attend a hospital in London, UK, in mid-July 2007 for investigative gastro-oesophageal endoscopy to be followed by further treatment. He is also reported to have hypertension with elevated cholesterol levels which require proper clinical management.

Since his arrest, Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi has been held incommunicado except for one 15-minute visit from his son at 11pm on 25 July. He complained at that time of feeling severely ill, and said that, notwithstanding his requests, he had not been visited by any doctor. “He is held in solitary confinement and complains of unsanitary conditions and poor food.” Amnesty said.

(ST)