Sudan frees detained Umma Party leader El Mahdi

Sudanese authorities released National Umma Party (NUP) leader El Sadig El Mahdi today (Sunday), Sudan’s State Minister of Information, Yasir Yousef, told Reuters. El Mahdi, who was detained on 17 May, was accused of undermining the constitution, a charge that could have led to the death penalty. The NUP leader had denounced the widespread attacks against civilians in Darfur by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by the National Security and Intelligence Service (NISS). Minister Yousef said the release of El Mahdi came within “legal framework” but he did not give further details.El Mahdi’s daughter, Maryam El Sadig, told Radio Dabanga that the authorities released him at 5pm on Sunday following the mediation by a committee of prominent Sudanese nationalists to release both El Mahdi and Ibrahim El Sheikh, head of the Sudanese Congress Party.El Sheikh is still being held by the security apparatus in En Nahud, West Kordofan.  File photo: El Sadig El Mahdi being welcomed by his followers after his release (Radio Dabanga correspondent) Related:El Mahdi’s children briefly detained in Sudan’s capital (14 June 2014) El Mahdi detention in Sudan: US Embassy expresses concern (22 May 2014) Detained El Mahdi warns of unrest in Sudan (19 May 2014) Umma Party to protest in Sudan after leader’s detained (18 May 2014)