Sudanese security frees political activists: SCoP
October 2, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Congress Party (ScoP) announced on Thursday that authorities freed all its detained members on the eve of the religious holiday known as Eid al-Adha.
A number of precautionary arrests took place last month against several political activists in Khartoum as the first anniversary of the deadly September 2013 protests approached.
The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) also prevented some families of the victims from holding vigils.
Demonstrations broke out in several Sudanese states in September 2013 following the government’s decision to lift fuel subsidies. Rights groups said that at least 200 people were killed but the government put the death toll at 85.
On Wednesday the NISS also freed a journalist from al-Youm al-Tali by the name of Abdul-Rahman al-Agib after ten days of detention without charges.
The security apparatus arrested al-Agib and 9 other young people in central Khartoum on September 22, after suspecting that they were planning to pay tribute to the protesters who died in September 2013.
ScoP spokesman Bakri Youssef told Sudan Tribune last month that NISS arrested a number of its members as part of a plan to thwart the memorial of victims of last year’s protests.
The 2nd Vice President Hasabo Abdel-Rahman claimed last week that a group under the name “Regime Change Front” is active in the capital, but that security is aware of them.
He stressed that that there are certain circles that do not want peace and want to place obstacles in front of dialogue process.
Freedom House institution said that these arrests in Sudan demonstrates the government’s continued use of force and intimidation as a basic means of ruling.
(ST)