“I was subjected to psychological torture”, says al-Mahdi after her release
September 9, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The deputy chairman of the National Umma Party (NUP), Marriam al-Mahdi, said on Tuesday that she had been subjected to psychological torture during her 28-day detention by the security service.
On Monday evening, NISS agents released al-Mahdi and conducted her to the family house.
“I do not know why I was released and I do not know the reason for my arrest. During the four interrogations conducted with me they (the security officers) did not ask me a question about the Paris Declaration,” al-Mahdi said in a press conference held on Tuesday.
She further told reporters she had been psychologically tortured by the NISS agent during her extrajudicial detention at Omdurman prison for woman.
“I was subjected to psychological torture. They told me that my family was unwilling to visit me and did not make any request for a visit,” she said.
On 16 August, al-Mahdi’s family sent a letter to the NISS director requesting to visit Marriam. However, only on 4 September the pro-government media SMC said the security service allowed the family to visit her.
The NUP deputy leader said she was isolated from any human contact in a solitary confinement, adding that the security also agents prevented her from any books or newspapers even the Quran and other religious books available at the prison.
She further defended Paris Declaration and described it as an introduction to “a big national undertaking”, adding that the SRF leaders told her about their support to peace dialogue and Sudan’s unity.
On the other hand, NUP secretary-general Sara Nugdalla ruled out that the opposition party resume its activities in the high committee for the national dialogue (7+7) .
Nugdalla further said that the NUP will continue to promote the Paris Declaration inside and outside the country, stressing that the AUHIP brokered agreement on the national dialogue and constitutional process reached on 4 September in Addis Ababa reflects the core of Paris Declaration.
EU WELCOMES MAHDI’S RELEASE
The European Union ambassador to Sudan Tomas Ulicny welcomed the release of Marriam al-Mahdi before the arrival of AU High Level Implementation Panel, Thabo Mbeki in Khartoum to discuss the national dialogue with the president Omer al-Bashir.
“The European Union Ambassador said the timing of the release of Dr. Meriam is significant in generating impetus in the delayed national dialogue,” said Ulicny in a statement released on Tuesday after a meeting with presidential assistant Jalal al-Digair.
The EU envoy further called to free all the political detainees in order to create a conducive environment for the national dialogue in Sudan
“This is necessary to create a conducive environment and trust building measures between all the Sudanese parties to achieve reconciliation, durable peace, democratic transformation and protection of human rights in Sudan,” he added.
(ST)