European envoys in Sudan call for release of political detainees
February 7, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – European Union (EU) ambassadors and envoys to Khartoum have called for the immediate release of political leaders and rights activists who have been detained for more than two months.
Also detained with them on the same date a former member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) who Farah Agar for meeting rebels in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the peace talks in Addis Ababa.
In a statement released on Saturday, the EU delegation in Khartoum said The EU embassies renewed their request to meet with the political detainees.
“They demanded an immediate release of Amin Mekki Medani, Farouk Abu Eissa and Farah Agar or access to due judicial process and fair trial without further delay,” the EU mission added..
The EU backs the Sudanese presidential initiative for the national dialogue but demands Khartoum to create the right atmosphere for the process and to release political freedoms.
The statement said that EU delegation and Khartoum based diplomats from EU members states held a meeting on 4 February with a delegates of the opposition National Umma Party and the defence team of Abu Issa and Madani.
“They were briefed about the legal and political aspects of the procedures against political prisoners and political parties, as well as on the recent closures of civil society organisations in Sudan,” said the statement..
The European Parliament and the office of the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, called during the past weeks for the release of opposition leader and rights activist.
The Sudanese president pledged to release them but a Sudanese court extended their detention for two weeks upon a request by the security service.
(ST)