Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
July 31, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Two Sudanese courts on Thursday sentenced another 22 alleged Darfur rebels to death over an attack on the capital last May in which more than 222 people were killed.
The sentences from two special courts, set up to try those rounded up in a security crackdown following the May 10 assault, bring to 30 the number of alleged members of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) condemned to death.
“The court sentenced all the 12 accused to death,” said Adam Bakr Hassab, one of the defence lawyers at the special court in Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum that was attacked by JEM rebels over two months ago.
Hassab told AFP that one of those sentenced to death is aged 16.
“The judge found them guilty of the charges against them and gave them one week to appeal the decision,” he said.
“This is not fair because we are already at the end of the (working) week. Then we have two days’ weekend. So we have just have five days to appeal against the verdict,” he added.
In the other court, in Khartoum North, Judge Osama Osman referred the cases of three suspected rebels to juvenille courts and found 10 men guilty under Sudanese criminal law and counter-terrorism legislation.
“I sentence you to death by hanging and you have the right to appeal this decision within 15 days,” he addressed those standing in the dock.
The condemned, aged around 18 to 25 years old, broke out into loud cries of “God is great” and “thanks be to God”, waving their arms in the air after hearing the sentence.
Saleh Balila, one of the defence lawyers, vowed to appeal against the sentences as quickly as possible, but provided no further comment.
Sudan has put on trial dozens of suspects under counter-terrorism and criminal law over the May attack, the first time that decades of regional conflict had reached the capital.
Defence lawyers have argued that the special courts are unconstitutional and do not guarantee their clients’ legal rights.
On Tuesday, eight men, all accused of belonging to JEM, were also sentenced to death in the first such verdicts over the May attack.
Those hauled before the courts have included Abdul Aziz Ashur, senior JEM commander and brother-in-law of overall leader Khalil Ibrahim. Ashur was not among the eight sentenced on Thursday.
Under Sudanese law, any death sentence must be ratified by both an appeals’ court and the high court. Then all death warrants must be signed and approved by President Omar al-Beshir.
More than 222 people were killed when rebels thrust more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) across the sandy expanse from western Sudan’s region of Darfur to Omdurman, just across the River Nile from the presidential palace.
(AFP)
Gatdelha
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
I hate to see the picture of the real people of Sudan being displayed like on line by the intruders or the so-called Arabs of Sudan! where are the African of Sudan,Nuba,Southern Sudanese, people of greater blue Nile of our hero Mr. Malik Agar?? why don’t you want to help Darfuri people? humilation on Darfuri is directed to all Africans of Sudan!! shame on us if we are the foolish majority of Sudan! stand up stand up stand up for your right! remmeber once they finish Darfuri, they will start to eliminate us one by one!
Ben-Fu
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
Black people in Africa in the world in generals don’t care about each other, they hope for others to come to their issues without a thought.
Basic ways to encourage and help one another out in life are ignored. Mental restarted people are laugh at and not care for; people with some malfunction brain and body conditions are look at as idiots.
So you assume the GOSS top officials are going to voice thier concerns national and to intervenes in our people issues like this. Others study our behaviors but we ignore doing the same because we don’t care but we are used against each other.
Wake up folks, the world is moving forward and we are backward.
If you are sick, tired, exhausted and left behind, do you think you would catch to those who are full of energy and are a head of the line?
Moses Kur Akech
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
What a merciless and anarchic regime, Khartoum wants to violate International law again by hanging prisoners of war. I think Bashir will veto the verdict, if he approves the sentence then he is simply skyrocketing his existing charges of crime against humanity. He will have one more count of violating international law by sentencing prisoners of war should he approve the verdict.
But another frustrating thing is the grave silence within SPLM leadership particularly Kiir as the leader of the leading opposition party, this is the right time to boldly and firmly stand up against the regime in terms human right abuses in the country against Sudanese civilians by the regime. I know in the past war between SPLM and the Khartoum SPLA/M safeguarded prisoners of war and Khartoum regime did not have prisoners. This was an outstanding achievement o respect international law. This is the right time to pressure the regime improve its human records, but our politicians especially the leader are so timid to face the challenge and this would later stretch if not face at right time.
If Kiir has gotten an intrinsic allergy to facing the regime then he should give way to people like Pagan Amum, Yasir Arman and so forth who are undoubtedly determined to do so. He can remain as a leader of SPLM and select a candidate who will boldly challenge the regime on the ground of the current human right abuses and many other challenges facing regime. For instance, the inability to spend more on community welfare other than warfare, the greediness and endless egotism towards public resources. All of these would defy the regime in the next year elections if SPLM have a strong and charismatic candidate to unravel the ‘sealed envelope’ of illusions or stand up courageously against this regime to educate the fooled people more about the true nature of this tyrannical regime.
Gatdelha
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
I support people of Darfur, I am ready to for them, I don’t if they are muslims or not, they are my african brothers, I share ethinicity with them as well as the black skin colour,I urge all Africans of Sudan to not accept being used again by the so-called Arabs of Sudan! Sudan is our country and we can kick those invaders out of it very easily if we are united! so, to make the liberation easy,let Nuba, people of Southern blue Nile and Jinubeen get united and kick the intruders asses!
Gatdelha
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
I support people of Darfur, I am ready to die for them, I don’t care if they are muslims or not, they are my African brothers, I share ethinicity with them as well as the black skin colour,I urge all Africans of Sudan to not accept being used again each other by the so-called Arabs of Sudan! Sudan is our country and we can kick those invaders out of it very easily if we are united! so, to make the liberation easy,let Nuba, people of Southern blue Nile and Jinubeen get united and kick the intruders asses out of the country!
Africans of Sudan ohyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, the struggle continue
AramanaCaani junuba
Sudan sentences 22 more JEM rebels to death
ALBASHIR PLAYS RETALIATOORY MEASURES ON DARFURIS!!!!!!!!!
UNSC,ICC,
Suspension of ALBASHIR Arrest Warrant will tantamount to more harm to darfuris than good because Albashhir is now actively playing retaliatory tactics on every darfuri whether innocent or guilty! because of his indictment,tortoriiing,killing,raping and dissapearing many in prisons without trials.he is forming ‘special’ courts where his agents slaughter them without hesitation.therefore,if the world needs to rescue Darfuris they should try all ways possible to HURRY Albashir arrest warrant issuance.things inside sudan is not the way the world view itfrom outside.
UNSC,ICC,Please SAVE darfur by issuing ALBASHIR’S Arrest Warrant Immediately!!!!!! if you are really for justice!
aramanacaani.