Sudan opposition leader released after nearly 2 months
December 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The head of one of Sudan’s opposition parties has been released, nearly two months after he was arrested following calls to protest against new austerity measures.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday night, the SCoP spokesperson Mohamed Hassan Arabi announced the release of the party’s chairman Omer al-Digair and his deputy Khaled Omer Youssef and three other members.
Arabi further said that al-Digair has been released without charge and the security service gave no reason for his arrest. He added that the SCoP leader ”had been denied access to his lawyers but only his family had a very limited access to him”.
“Also, the authorities late in the evening released the party’s vice-chairman Khalid Omer Youssef, the Secretary of External Relations Mustafa Jalal, and two SCoP members Imad Abdallah and Ibrahim al-Haj,” he added.
Al-digair was arrested on Wednesday 9 November after calls by his party to protest against the increase of fuel and electricity prices.
The detention of opposition members and civil society activists was condemned by the opposition groups. They pointed to the government lack of seriousness saying it continues its repressive policies in “flagrant violation” of the resolutions of the dialogue conference.
Arabi said that still there are five members of his party in jail, two in Khartoum State, one in South Darfur State and two in Red Sea State.
He further added that the SCoP is “strongly committed to work with its partners in the Sudan Call forces to express the legitimate demands of Sudanese people for freedom, peace and democracy through the dialogue with the masses in their workplaces or to take to the streets together”.
(ST)