Sudan to try opposition leader within days
January 18, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), Hassan Al-Turabi, detained without any charge since last Wednesday, will go on trial within days.
However since his arrest the security services didn’t make a statement indicating why Turabi, 76, has been detained.
According to the Kuwait news agency, the opposition leader is held on charges of inciting JEM rebels to continue the escalation of violence in Darfur and to incite members of his party to join the group.
Al-Bashir recently accused JEM of being the military wing of the PCP something Turabi has firmly denied. The Darfurian rebels staged a bold attack and fought fierce battles with the Sudanese army on the outskirts of the capital before they were repulsed.
Further, Turabi is also arrested for the numerous contacts with some of the political forces, which rejected the request of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to arrest the Sudanese President, in order to persuade them to reverse their position and support Al-Bashir’s indictment.
Sudanese opposition parties voiced their rejection to the charges against Sudanese president urging Khartoum to sign peace deal with rebels and try officials or militia leaders who committed crimes in Darfur.
Turabi who was the mentor of the president since the 1989 to 1999, is the first Sudanese opposition leader to publically support the ICC move saying the national judiciary is not competent to try these crimes.
Since the public filling of the application of charges against Al-Bashir on July 14, 2008, Sudanese authorities raised the press censorship and detained several rights activists and others over accusations related to the ICC and Darfur crimes.
(ST)
Hou Akot Hou
Sudan to try opposition leader within days
The detention and crack down on him(Dr.Turabi)does not only inflict fear and harrasment to the veteran politician but showcase the misdeed(weaknesses) existing in the administration of Bashir,i would like to tell the southern sudanese that the the lesson taught to Tubabi is good not only to him but to the internatinal community that he wishes nobody to talk about the failure and collapse of his administration.
If the government needs to try him,it can be of importance to look at the reasons causing the war in Darfur,if Bashir thinks that Turabi is the one instigating problems or charges on him,where is the country where individuals don’t speak out.In getting solutions,one has to look at the root causes of the problem,so Bashir would be a good leader if he lets Hassan Turabi talk about what he spoke on the radio.Indictment to me is the necessary option.
I have to make the readers enhance the ifforts in terms of reading so that they remain vigilant,responsive and clever to what is happening in the country.I believe also that the SPLM will be too proactive and then will take over,Leave Turabi alone Mr.Bashir.
Comment by Hou Akot HOu
Nelson Turdit
Sudan to try opposition leader within days
All the charges against Al turabi are baseless accusation, there is no connection of JEM support and statement that called president Bashir to handover himself to ICC, why they cahrge Dr. Al Turabi now when he release a true statement and they didn,t talk any thing before? let that hero man go for trial and the court of Sudan must rule in respect of interim National constitution under free and fair trial not just favoring Bashir. Al turabi is a man who can free this country under brutallity regime of NCP leadership.