Sudanese security forces arrest FFC figures
February 9, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – In an escalating crackdown against political opponents, the Sudanese authorities Wednesday arrested the former cabinet affairs minister and two former members of the Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC).
For nearly a week, unconfirmed reports said that an order had been issued to arrest some leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) as part of the ongoing clampdown by the military rulers to end the anti-coup movement.
On Wednesday, the security forces arrested a prominent member of the Committee Wagdi Salih who is also an outspoken opponent of the military coup. The ERC Secretary-General al-Tayeb Osman Youssef was also arrested with him.
Two hours later, another security forces stormed a meeting of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP)leadership at their headquarters in Khartoum and arrested Khalid Omer Youssef, the former minister of the cabinet affairs.
In a tweet that he posted before his transfer to Suba prison, Salih said he was accused of the breach of trust under Article 177-2 of the penal code related to misappropriating entrusted funds, values or any other property.
He said the lawsuit was filed by the finance ministry.
For the former minister of the cabinet affairs until now nobody knows why the reason for his arrest.
Youssif and Salih were part of the FFC delegation that met with the UNITAMS chief on Tuesday within the framework of the consultations process he launched to end the current political crisis in Sudan.
The FFC leaders held a press conference at the SCoP premises to denounce their arrest of the political leaders and to request their release.
Omer al-Diguair SCoP leader expected more arrests to take place in the coming days pointing out that it is the only weapon that the authority currently possesses, particularly after a decision of the coup leader to give the right to arrest to the General Intelligence Service.
He called for unity and mobilisation of the anti-coup forces to confront it
Yasir Arman, SPLM-N Deputy Chairman described their arrest as “political conspiracy under legal cover”.
Arman warned that the regime’s behaviour can bring the FFC to change their mind about the UNITMAS initiative for talks with the military regime. And called on the international community to condemn the coup leader.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the National Umma Party, al-Wathiq al-Brair, said the targeting of the FFC leaders is a continuation of the practices of the former regime and its attempt to distort their image.
He stressed they would keep struggling to restore democracy in the country.
On February 4, UNITAMS Head Volker Perthes met with the Chairman of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to stress the need to stop violence against protesters and generally to create a conducive environment to ensure the success of his political process to end the crisis.
Troika ambassadors in Khartoum posted separate tweets to condemned the arrest of the political leaders.
“Arbitrary arrests and detention of political figures, civil society activists and journalists undermine efforts to resolve Sudan’s political crisis, said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Sudan Lucy Tamlyn.
UK Ambassador Giles lever called for the release of the political detainees stressing that their arrest is “incompatible with UN-facilitated efforts to resolve Sudan’s political crisis, and show a lack of good faith”.
For her part, Norway Ambassador Therese Loken Ghesiel stressed that the arrests “seriously question goodwill and commitment including to UNITAMS process.
(ST)