Sudanese condemns children and human rights activist to death

By Toby Collins

December 6, 2011 (LONDON) – A human rights activist and children are amongst those whose death sentences have been upheld by Sudanese authorities, according to an Amnesty International (AI) petitions calling for their punishments to be commuted.

The petetions released on 6 December explain that the founder of the Human Rights and Development Organization (HUDO) in South Kordofan, director of Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO) in Darfur, Bushra Gamar Hussein Rahma has been held without charge since June.

Rahma is among 18 alleged members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), tried by a military court in Sennar state.

He has been on hunger strike since October due to the authorities failure to press charges or release him.

The SPLM-N is fighting Sudan’s army in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, which border South Sudan.

AI calls upon authorities to either charge Rahma or release him and to ensure that he ensure he is not ill-treated.

In a related incident on 29 November Sudanese authorities upheld the descision to exact the death penalty upon 11 individuals allegedly affliliated with the Darfurian rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

Among those convicted of car-jacking seven were allegedly aged between 15 and 17 at the time of the crime. Two minors were also sentenced to two years imprisonment.

AI calls upon authorities to commute the death sentences and ensure the children are retried in accordance with international juvenile justice standards.

The Sudanese 2010 Child Act prohibits the execution of children.

(ST)