SUDAN Communications sent

327. On 18 December 2000, the Special Representative, together with the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Chairman-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, sent an urgent appeal concerning four lawyers, Messrs. Saatie Mohammed al-Haj, Hadi Ahmed Osman, Ghazi Suleiman and Ali Mahmoud Hassanaian, members of the National Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (NARD), who were arrested in their offices in Khartoum. Although no official reason was given, it was alleged that they were detained in connection with the arrest, on 6 December 2000, of seven leading opposition politicians during a meeting with a

United States diplomat in Khartoum. It was further alleged that these four lawyers had signed a petition to the Justice Ministry protesting the detention of the seven politicians. They have not been formally charged and have, since their detention, been held incommunicado, without access to their lawyers, families or medical treatment.

328. On 13 March 2001, the Special Representative, together with the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Chairman-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, sent an urgent appeal concerning Dr. Nageeb Nigim El Din, a member of the Sudanese Victims of Torture Group (SVTG) and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), who was arrested on 11 March 2001 by the security forces. The security forces allegedly

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confiscated the computers of the Amal Centre for Rehabilitation of Victims of Physical and Mental Trauma situated in northern Khartoum, all of the files of the patients at the centre and some other documents. Dr. Nageeb Nigim El Din was allegedly held at the offices of the security forces in Khartoum on Mohamed Nageeb Street before being transferred to Kober prison. The information received indicates that he was due to meet the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Mr. Gerhard Baum, on 13 March 2001, and that the security forces have accused him of preparing lists of victims of torture for the Special Rapporteur. The information further indicates that Dr. Nageeb Nigim El Dim has been arrested seven times since 1989 and has spent over four years in prison.

329. On 21 June 2001, the Special Representative sent an urgent appeal, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on torture and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, regarding Faisal el Bagir Mohamed, a journalist and member of the SVTG. On 13 June 2001, he was reportedly arrested at home in Khartoum and the security forces searched his house, confiscating his computer and fax machine, as well as various documents. They reportedly had no search warrant and gave no reason for his arrest. According to the information received, Mr. Bagir Mohamed was taken away to be interrogated and was released later on the same evening, but was told to report to the security headquarters the following day. When he did so, he was reportedly rearrested. He has since allegedly been held incommunicado. It was reported that shortly before his detention, Faisal el Bagir Mohamed had met with the Ministry of Justice twice to seek permission for the SVTG and the Amal Centre to celebrate the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June 2001.

330. On 19 October 2001, the Special Representative, together with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, sent an urgent appeal concerning a series of operations allegedly launched by the Sudanese security authorities against several civil society organizations. It was reported that the following organizations were targeted, the Abduulkareem Margani Cultural Centre, the Centre for Sudanese Studies, the Gender Centre, the Amal Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Physical and Mental Trauma and the Khartoum Centre for Human Rights Studies. According to the information received, the director of the Centre for Sudanese Studies, Dr. Hydar Ibrahim Ali, was summoned to the security forces headquarters

on 9 October 2001. He was reportedly interrogated about the activities of the Centre and was ordered to suspend all the Centre's activities until further notice. It was also reported that Mr. Hydar Al-halab, director of the Abdulkareem Margani Cultural Centre, was also summoned on the same day, together with the director of the Gender Centre. Dr. Nagib Nagm El din, director of the Amal Centre, was reportedly likewise summoned to the security forces headquarters on 10 and 11 October 2001. He was reportedly interrogated about the Centre's activities by security officers, who informed him that the Centre would be under permanent surveillance for a period of two months, after which they would decide about its future.

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Mr. Faisal Al-bagir, a member of staff of the Khartoum Centre for Human Rights Studies, was reportedly summoned on 9 October 2001 to the security forces headquarters and questioned about his demands that the security forces return the Centre's equipment, which they had confiscated during his arrest in June 2001. Representatives of the Amal and Khartoum Centres were told by security officers that they would be under continued surveillance.

Observations

331. The Special Representative welcomes the release on 26 June 2001 of Mr. Faisal el Bagir Mohamed and the release on 29 March 2001 of Dr. Nageeb Nigim El Din. She still, however, awaits a reply from the Government to her communications.