Lawyer for ousted PM Hamdok arrested in Port Sudan

October 4, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – A lawyer representing Sudan’s ousted Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and other civilian leaders has been detained in Port Sudan since last month, a rights group said on Friday, amid a widening crackdown on dissent by authorities aligned with the military.

The Human Rights and Freedoms Defence Committee said in a statement that Muntasir Abdallah, who represents the Coordination of the Democratic and Civil Forces (Tagadum), was arrested on September 7 after requesting access to investigation reports related to a case against Hamdok and other coalition figures.

The public prosecutor has filed charges against 16 Tagadum leaders, including Hamdok, accusing them of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and genocide. Authorities have also requested Interpol to issue a Red Notice for their arrest, a move the anti-war coalition has condemned.

The rights group said Abdallah’s arrest was “a violation of human rights and an attack on the lawyer’s right to practice his profession.” It called on authorities to immediately release him and ensure his safety.

“The arrest exposes the repressive nature of the authorities in Port Sudan and confirms their use of the justice system and law enforcement agencies for political persecution,” the statement added.

Security forces in areas controlled by the military have been accused of increasing pressure on politicians opposed to the ongoing conflict and on volunteers providing humanitarian aid. Dozens have been arrested in recent months.

This incident is the latest in a series of arrests and crackdowns on dissent since the conflict erupted in Sudan in April. The conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis and led to widespread human rights abuses.