Sudanese rights body urges release of British teacher

November 30, 2007 — The Sudan Human Rights Organization Cairo Office is deeply concerned for the trial and sentence imposed by the Khartoum Criminal Court on the British teacher Gillan Gibbons.

The Organization believes that the teacher’s instruction to her class at the Unity School to perform class assignments was an academic affair “conducted in good faith,” as affirmed by the teacher, and further administratively ascertained and publicly anounced by both school’s authorities and the parents’ council.

The Organization condemns strongly the Government of Sudan for the deliberate politicization, enlarged media publicity, and intruding adjudication in academic affairs to incite religious hostilities, instead of adopting and ensuring religious tolerance.

Conducting partisan prosecution under direct threats on the life of the teacher by hostile demonstrations, and then applying a biased trial surrounded by hostile campaigns, the Criminal Justice Authorities (police, prosecution, and court) extended the public hatred against the due process of law, as the case regrettably went to the detriment of Sudanese Justice.

SHRO asks in the strongest terms possible the Sudanese Judiciary to release Ms. Gibbon immediately from jail, reverse the lower court’s decision to deport her, and ensure her safety and professional career, in accordance with international human rights norms and the most relevant Constitutional Provisions on academic freedoms and labor rights in the country.

In the meantime, the organization reiterates continuous appeals to the National Council to review all laws thus far legislated under the military coup of June 1989, particularly the criminal law and the other incriminating acts, since they continue to contradict the Interim Constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement – the main political source to reform Sudan laws.