Sudan releases 35 members of opposition Islamist party

KHARTOUM, Jan 21 (AFP) — Sudan has released 35 members of the main Islamist opposition party, including its top foreign relations expert, the party said on Friday.

The Popular Congress’ foreign relations secretary and former top regime member Mohammed Amin al-Khalifa was released, party leader Hassan al-Turabi remains in detention along with a dozen other members.

Turabi’s deputy, Mussa Al Mak Koor said Khalifa was freed early Friday in Khartoum, while more than 30 others were released on Wednesday and Thursday.

However, Koor played down the move, saying without full freedom and lifting of the state of emergency currently in place in the country, the step was insignificant.

“You do not talk of releasing detainees and achieving peace while freedoms are oppressed,” Koor said.

Khalifa was a member of the 13-member military National Salvation Revolution Council that brought President Omar al-Beshir to power in June 1989 and was chief negotiator with the southern rebel movement the SPLA for over ten years.

When Beshir and Turabi fell out four years ago and their party split, Khalifa took the side of Turabi.

Turabi’s son, Sideeq was also among those set free. But 13 party members are still in detention.