Darfur JEM describe court sentence as a ‘joke’

July 31, 2008 (LONDON) – The Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) slammed death sentences by Sudanese courts against its fighters and described it as a “joke”.

“This is a butchery of justice in Sudan and yet another example of impotent judiciary that is under the influence of the executive branch” JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein told Sudan Tribune.

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 JEM official said that the courts were founded by the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir “making them an unfair venue”.

He also alleged that there 2 secret courts and described one of the judges by the name of Muatasim Tag Al-Sir as a security officer.

“These courts are unconstitutional and their purpose is clear; to blackmail us but JEM will not be intimated” he said.

Hussein also said that the trials are aimed at diverting attention from the International Criminal Court (ICC) pending indictment of the Sudanese president.

“This proves there is no genuine judiciary in Sudan to prosecute anyone let alone perpetrators of genocide and war crimes” he said.

The Southern ex-rebel group Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) called on treating the JEM captives as prisoners of war.

SPLM Deputy Secretary General for northern Sudan, Yasir Arman, said the sentences “complicate matters further” and called for freezing their ratification so that efforts can be devoted towards resolving the Darfur crisis.

The death sentences must be first ratified by the appeal court and the Supreme Court in Sudan then sent to Bashir for signature.

(ST)