Sudan’s NISS frees UNAMID female staff member

July 13, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) in Sudan has released a local woman who worked for the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Hawa Abdallah was arrested in early May and was accused of working to propagate Christianity among children at IDP camps in Sudan’s restive region of Darfur.

Sudanese Media Center (SMC), a website believed to be run by NISS, at the time published a picture of her holding an English copy of the bible.

No formal charges were ever pressed against her. The crime of apostasy is punishable by death under Sudanese law.

The Darfur peacekeeping force said in its daily briefing on Wednesday that Abdallah was released from detention yesterday in Khartoum adding that she underwent a medical examination and appears to be in good health.

UNAMID said that its senior leadership continues to press Sudan authorities for the immediate release of another staff member, Idriss Abdel-Rahman, who remains in detention in Nyala since late April.

Last week, the head of UNAMID, Ibrahim Gambari, had called for releasing both Abdullah and Abdel-Rahman.

The UN has argued that its staff has functional immunity – protection from charges that might be leveled against them for activities related to their official duties.

Gambari had previously stated that the arrest of the two national staff contravened the Status of Forces (SAF) Agreement between UNAMID and Khartoum.

(ST)