Sudan frees 50 opposition party members

KHARTOUM, Sudan, July 27 (UPI) — Sudanese authorities Tuesday released 50 prisoners from the opposition People’s Congress Party, but kept party leader Hassan al-Turabi in custody.

An official source told United Press International the decision to release the prisoners was made Monday night while the actual liberation took place early Tuesday.

“The release was the result of a dialogue between the authorities and the prisoners that lasted several days and during which the inmates agreed to end a hunger strike they started early July to press for their release or prosecution,” the source said.

Authorities had released 20 party prisoners last week.

The source did not say the reason for keeping al-Turabi in custody in a Khartoum hospital, where he was transferred Sunday for severe weakness and dehydration due to the three-week long hunger strike.

Authorities rounded up the members of al-Turabi’s party last March on suspicion of planning a conspiracy to oust the regime and on charges of fueling the conflict in the province of Darfur.