Political activist tortured in Sudan military detention

Sudan’s Emergency Lawyers has accused military intelligence officers in Merowe, Northern State, of torturing a political activist. A member of the Sudanese Congress Party was held in Khartoum and taken to an unknown destination.

Emergency Lawyers said in a statement yesterday that the military intelligence department of the 19th Infantry Division began detaining members of resistance committees and other activists in Merowe about 12 days ago.  

A number of them were released after a few days, but political activist Shareef El Hamdabi and others are still being held incommunicado.

The statement said that he was beaten on the head when he was held inside his home and quoted “well-informed sources” that reported about his exposure to torture in detention.

The lawyers called for his immediate release, saying that they hold “those who are holding him fully responsible for his safety”.

Radio Dabanga received reports that activist Mohamed Suliman was released by military intelligence agents in El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, after having been detained for two days.

In Khartoum, “a force affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)” on Monday seized a member of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) and took him to an unknown destination.

The SCP said in a statement yesterday that Engineer Abdelbagi Murad was held from Mashrou Azza in Khartoum.

Party member Ali Hussein was taken from his home more than three months ago. “His family nor the party know where he has been taken to.”

Both the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF have reportedly detained hundreds of activists and volunteers in the country’s capital since the start of the war on April 15.

Noureldin Salaheldin, a former leading member of the SCP, was held by the RSF in Khartoum in May. For 30 hours, he was held in the cellar of a building where between 200 and 300 other people were being held. “I never saw a worse and more horrific place than the RSF detention facility I was in,” he said. “There was no electricity or lighting, and no ventilation at all.

Reports about sexual assaults and rapes, and enforced disappearances are also increasing.