Sudan releases a UNAMID national employee after three months of detention

20 July, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security service released a local staff working with the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in Darfur, three months after his arrest.

“IdrissAbdelrahman was released from detention this afternoon in Nyala, SouthDarfur” announced the hybrid operation on Wednesday. “The prosecutors yesterday told UNAMID officers that charges against him were dropped due to lack of evidence”.

The UNAMID civil affairs officer was arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on 27 April. He was charged with “undermining the constitutional system” and “waging war against the state”. Both crimes are punishable by death under Sudanese law.

In accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement between the mission and the Sudanese Government, UNAMID personnel are protected from charges for activities related to their official duties.

Yesterday Amnesty International expressed fears that Abdelrahman might be subjected to ill-treatment and torture. The UNAMID said NISS handed him to the prosecution only two weeks ago.

Another Sudanese staff member, Hawa Abdalla Mohamed, was released last week, two months after she was arrested at a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in North Darfur. She had been accused of working to propagate Christianity among children at Abu Shuk camp.

(ST)