PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 54/046/2007

21 August 2007

Further Information on UA 156/07 (AFR 54/032/2007, 19 June 2007) and follow-up (AFR 54/035/2007, 22 June 2007 and AFR 54/040/2007, 6 August 2007) - Prisoner of Conscience

SUDAN Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim (m), lecturer at Khartoum University

Released: Mujahed Mohamed Abdallah (m), journalist

Abdallah Abdelgaum (m), member of the Mahas community

Alam Eldin Abdelghani (m), lawyer (note corrected name)

Osman Shamat (m), driver

Imad Mirghani Sid Ahmed (m), lawyer

Osman Ibrahim (m), Secretary General, Committee Against the Building of the Kajbar Dam

All those arrested in connection with opposition to the Kajbar Dam have now been released, except for Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim. They were reportedly released after signing a promise not to engage in political activity against the Kajbar Dam. Some of the released detainees said that, though they were not physically ill-treated, there was some psychological ill-treatment, for instance by national security personnel discussing torturing them in their hearing.

Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim refused to sign a broadly-worded statement which would commit him not to engage in activity relating to the Kajbar Dam, not to attend any meeting on the Kajbar Dam, and not even to speak in any gathering about the Dam, negatively or positively. In addition the statement would commit him not to engage in any "general political activities" or criticise any state personalities. Amnesty International considers Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim to be a prisoner of conscience, detained for non-violent political beliefs, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim was last visited by his family two weeks ago. At that time he said he made no complaints about his treatment in detention. He was then in Debek Prison, north of Khartoum,but may now have been transferred to the national security wing of Kober Prison in Khartoum North. Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim is a specialist in Nubian languages, and had been due to speak in Paris at a Colloquium on Nilo-Saharan Linguistics on 24 August.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Kajbar Dam is to be located on the third cataract of the Nile innorth Sudan. Local residents are protesting against the destruction of their villages and the failure of the authorities to hold a proper consultation over the proposed dam construction.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or Arabic or your own language:

- stating that you consider Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim to be a prisoner of conscience, detained for his political beliefs who has neither used nor advocated violence, and asking that he should be immediately and unconditionally released;

- calling on the authorities to guarantee the right tofreedom of expression and association, and lift controls that are incompatible with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

APPEALS TO:

His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir

President of the Republic of Sudan

Office of the President

People's Palace

PO Box 281

Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: +249 183 782541

Salutation: Your Excellency

Prof. Al-Zubair Bashir Taha

Minister of Internal Affairs

Ministry of Interior, PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan

Fax: + 249 183 774339

+ 249 183 776554 (Please mark, "FAO Minister of Internal Affairs")

Salutation: Dear Minister

COPIES TO:

Dr Abdel Moneim Osman Taha

Rapporteur, Advisory Council for Human Rights

Khartoum, Sudan

Email: human_rights_sudan@hotmail.com

Human Rights Committee

The Peoples Hall

Omdurman, Sudan

Fax: + 249 187 560950

E-mail: info@sudan-parliament.org

and to diplomatic representatives of SUDAN accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 2 October 2007.********