PUBLIC AI Index: AFR 54/065/2005

06 July 2005

Further Information on UA 27/05 (AFR 54/016/2005, 02 February 2005) and follow-up (AFR 54/028/2005, 08 March 2005) - Arbitrary arrest/Fear for safety/Torture

SUDAN Abdallah Musa Abdallah (m), Beja Congress Secretary General Secretary in Red Sea State

Dr Mahmoud Osman Ibrahim (m) aged 45, Beja Congress General Secretary, Kassala

Hashim Ali Dura (m)

Abdel Rahim Ali Bur’i (m)

Aderob Bakkash (m), aged 22, student

Khalifa Omar Ohajj (m), aged 23, student

Ali Hussein Ali (m), aged 40

Mohamed Samra (m), aged 40

Hussein Adam (m), aged 35

All nine men named above have been released. Dr Mahmoud Osman Ibrahim is now known to have been freed in April, and all the others were released on 30 June, after almost six months detained without charge or trial. On 30 June the President promised to release all political detainees and lift the nationwide state of emergency, except in Darfur and eastern Sudan.

These men and scores of others were arrested following demonstrations in late January in the eastern city of Port Sudan, capital of Red Sea state. The demonstrators were predominantly members of the Beja ethnic group, who were calling for equal opportunities and for the government to allow them a share of power and resources in the region.

Demonstrations on 26 January were peaceful and culminated in a list of demands being presented to the Governor of Red Sea State, who was given 72 hours to respond. However, on 29 January the security forces reportedly used live ammunition against a demonstration which had allegedly turned violent. They then attacked houses outside the area of the demonstrations, and reportedly threw grenades. At least 20 people were killed, and local residents, including children, were wounded.

Most of those arrested were later released, but these men remained in custody, together with a further eight Beja men who were released on 30 June. They were named as Mohamed Al-Amin Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Habib Mohamed Tahir, Dirar Mohamed Dirar, Omer Bamkar, Mohamed Musa Issa, Dr Onour Seedy, Hashim Odis and Taj Al-Sirr Badri

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