PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 54/027/2008

29 May 2008

Further Information on UA 45/04 (AFR 54/012/2004, 6 February 2004) Death penalty

SUDAN Al-Tayeb Ali Ahmad (m)

Al-Tayeb Ali Ahmad was executed on 22 May.

He had exhausted his appeals. The Constitutional Court in Khartoum had confirmed the death sentence, but ordered that the execution should not be carried out immediately. Armed opposition group leader Minni Minawi had then submitted a written request to President al-Bashir, confirming that Al-Tayeb Ali Ahmad was a member of the group he leads, and should therefore benefit from the amnesty under the Darfur Peace Agreement. Despite this, on 22 May the Constitutional Court reversed its decision to delay the execution, and ordered that Al-Tayeb Ali Ahmad should be executed within two hours. His lawyers asked the prison to delay the execution for one hour while they rushed to the Constitutional Court to submit a copy of the amnesty request. The court refused to consider the lawyers' request, and the execution was carried out at 3.30pm.

Al-Tayeb Ali Ahmad had been sentenced to death in January 2004, after an unfair trial before a Special Court in Al-Fasher, where he had no legal representation. He was convicted under Article 51 of the 1991 Penal Code of opposing the government by using violence, and being a member of terrorist and criminal groups. Two other men tried with him were sentenced to prison terms.

No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.