Sudanese court upholds death sentences against rebel leaders
August 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese court of appeal on Thursday upheld death sentences issued previously in absentia against leaders of the rebel Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) in connection with the outbreak of the conflict with Khartoum in the Blue Nile state in September 2011.
The counts include terrorist crimes; crimes against the state; participation, aiding and abetting of crimes; crimes against humanity; the use of arms .
The court ordered the circulation of notices containing the sentences at all ports of entry and internationally for apprehension.
Battles between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and SPLM-N forces in Blue Nile erupted in September 2011, with each side accusing the other of starting the fighting.
Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir immediately declared a state of emergency in the state, which allowed him to sack Agar, then the state’s governor, and later shut down SPLM-N’s offices in the country.
The African Union (AU) has sought to broker a peace deal between Khartoum and SPLM-N in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states but has yet to achieve any success.
(ST)