Darfur activist placed on death row
February 14, 2013 (LONDON) – An activist from Sudan’s western Darfur region is it at imminent risk of execution, according to human rights group Amnesty International, after he was informed on December 31 2012 that his ten year sentence had been revised to the death penalty.
Bakri Moussa Mohammed, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in January 11, 2010 for allegedly taking part in a murder by an appeal court in South Darfur.
Before his arrest Mohammed had “been involved in protests against the repression of displaced people by the security services in South Darfur” Amnesty said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that his “family believe he was arrested and sentenced in retaliation for his activism”.
The activist is currently being detained at Khartoum’s Kober prison.
Mohammed was transferred to death row on the same day that a police officer informed him that he would be hung. Amnesty say that Mohammed was “reportedly brought to the gallows on three occasions”.
After the New Year the activist was informed that his execution has been postponed for 35 days but this deadline has passed leaving him “imminent risk of execution”, according to the human rights organisation.
Mohammed’s family say they are unaware of any court hearing in recent months. They “believe that the decision to revise the sentence was taken by the prison administration, in violation of fair trial standards” according to Amnesty.
(ST)