Security service briefly arrests Sudanese opposition figure

May 20, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese security service on Thursday briefly arrested Farouk Abu Eissa another opposition figure in less than a week after the detention of Hassan Al-Turabi, leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP).

Yesterday the security service also resumed the pre-publication censorship and removed articles from two daily newspapers, Ajras AL-Hurriya and Al-Sahafa. The move comes several days after the closure of Rai Al-Sha’ab, a pro PCP daily.

“The arrest had lasted for three hours,” Abu Eissa told Sudan Tribune after his release Thursday. The head of Juba alliance forces said the security agents interrogated him mainly about the opposition activities and their call to release Hassan Al-Turabi.

“I really do not understand why they did that, all our activities are public and nothing justifies such arrest,” he added.

Abu Eissa, a leading figure in the National Democratic Alliance which signed Cairo agreement in May 2005, was a member in the National Assembly during the five year interim period.

The Sudanese opposition forces condemned last week the arrest of Turabi considering it as setback in the democratic freedoms. In a statement issued on Sunday, the opposition threatened to organize protests to force the government to release him.

Several officials from the ruling National Congress Party warned last week that the government had allowed a large margin of freedom of expression during the elections period stressing that now it is time for the elected government to implement its programme and they would not tolerate attempts to hinder its activities.

Some 50 journalists gathered today outside the Press Council and delivered a memorandum to the head of the pro-government body Ali Shumo protesting the closure of Rai Al-Sha’ab daily and censorship against two other newspapers on Wednesday.

Sudan Journalists Network which organized the protest urged the release of four journalists from Rai Al-Sha’ab and warned that if their colleagues were not charged or freed they would organize regular demonstrations against the government.

(ST)