North Darfur prison guards beat rebel inmates after riots

December 9, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese Security forces opened fire on inmates in El-Fasher prison two days ago when they attempted to prevent the execution of some rebels sentenced to death, rebel and independent sources said.

Last Thursday Shala prison authorities in the capital of North Darfur called on some 26 rebels sentenced to death to execute them. However, as rumours were already spread inside the prison, the inmates attempted to prevent the move of the first batch of five prisoners and clashed with the security forces.

At least seven inmates were severely injured when the guards and other security forces started to beat the protesters. Sources also said one guard opened fire on the protesters but JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal said the authorities meant to shoot the prisoners.

Gibreel further said that despite the grave injuries sustained by the protesters, the guards in retaliation put the wounded inmates in small cells and denied them treatment, food and drink for three consecutive days. He added that the all 600 prisoners are also deprived health services, water, and food.

Sudanese courts sentenced at different occasions a number of rebels members in different movements, as JEM, Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) and the factions of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM).

The rebels say Khartoum should not execute them because they are prisoners of war, but the government considers them as common-law prisoners.

However, during the Doha process, the Sudanese government and JEM agreed to treat the members of the group detained in the Sudanese prisons as prisoners of war.

It was also not clear why LJM prisoners have not been given amnesty or released despite the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur on 14 July of this year.

(ST)