Trial of Egyptian fishermen detained in Sudan set for Wednesday

July 20, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The trial of 101 Egyptian fishermen being detained in Sudan since April will be held on Wednesday, said the Sudanese authorities.

Earlier in April, 108 Egyptian fishermen who were bound to Eritrea aboard three ships but were arrested near the port city of Port Sudan over the allegation of encroaching into Sudanese waters. Seven of those, six minors and an elderly, were later released.

A Sudanese court fined twenty-nine of the men 5,000 pound SDG each and sentenced them to two years in jail in case of failure to pay.

Fifty-Nine other fishermen remain in Sudanese custody and their fate is not yet clear.
Last month, the Suez and Red Sea Fishermen Association (SRFA) asked president Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi to interfere to secure their release.

Families of the fishermen also continued to demand their release, saying their livelihoods depends on them

However, sources say that Sudanese authorities demand the release of 24 Sudanese traditional miners who unknowingly crossed the borders in search for gold are still in custody in Almenia Al-Gadida, Aswan and Al-Wadi Al-Jadid.

In September 2012, the Sudanese army said it released dozens of Egyptian fishermen in exchange for 112 Sudanese miners apprehended by the Egyptian authorities for crossing the borders while they were searching for gold.

(ST)