SUDAN: Human rights defenders released

REDRESS welcomes the release, yesterday evening, of human rights activist Mr Osman Hummaida from arbitrary detention by the Sudanese authorities.

Osman Hummaida had been held in incommunicado detention since his arrest by the Sudanese National Security and Intelligence Services (NISS) on 24th November. He was interrogated about his human rights activities and subjected to severe acts of torture and ill-treatment.

Human rights activist Mr Abdel Monim Elgak and Mr Amir Mohamed Suleiman, Director of the Sudanese NGO Khartoum Centre for Human Rights and Environmental Development (KCHRED) were also arrested and interrogated by the NISS several times between 24th and 27th November. Abdel Monim Elgak was subjected to acts of severe torture before being released. All men were released without any charges being brought.

REDRESS, the international human rights organisation working to obtain justice for torture survivors, today welcomed the release of Osman Hummaida. However, REDRESS condemned the torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary arrests of Osman Hummaida Abdel Monim Elgak and Amir Mohamed Suleiman by the NISS.

Yesterday REDRESS, together with its partner KCHRED, filed an urgent request to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights for provisional measures against Sudan. The request demanded provisional measures from Sudan to refrain from subjecting Osman Hummaida to further torture or ill-treatment, to either immediately release or charge him and to refrain from further torture or ill-treatment, and/or arbitrary arrest and detention of Abdel Monim Elgak and Amir Mohamed Suleiman.

REDRESS calls upon the Sudanese authorities not to repeat the torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary arrests against Osman Hummaida, Abdel Monim Elgak and Amir Suleiman and against all human rights defenders.