26.05.2008 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

Khartoum: Thousands of people arbitrarily arrested; these arrests have largely been targeted at Darfuris, particularly of the Zaghawa ethnic tribe ("Rights groups decry Khartoum crackdown") [ID 24040]

"Several human rights organisations have accused Sudan authorities of arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial executions and ill-treatment of detainees following the 10May rebel attack on Sudan’s capital. [...]

The Darfur Centre for Human Rights and Development, a UK-based organisation, reported in a May 21 press release that more than 3,000 people had since been detained.

The arrests took place in house-to-house searches or at checkpoints that were established immediately after the attacks.

Amnesty International reported on 21 May that these arrests had largely been targeted at Darfuris, particularly of the Zaghawa ethnic tribe, to which both the leader of JEM, Khalil Ibrahim, and the Chadian president Idriss Deby, who has been accused by Sudan of supporting the rebels, belong."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2008 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Khartoum: Following the JEM attacks on 10 May 2008, hundreds of people were arrested; the arrests appeared to be extremely arbitrary, targeting Darfuris, especially those of Zaghawa ethnicity ("Torture and ill-treatment in custody in White Nile State [SDN 230508]") [ID 24042]

"In the days following the JEM attacks on 10 May 2008, hundreds of people were reportedly arrested in and around Khartoum and the neighbouring city of Omdurman and were held in unknown locations.

The arrests appeared to be extremely arbitrary, targeting Darfuris, especially those of Zaghawa ethnicity, and individuals who simply bear a physical resemblance to people from the region."

Document(s): Open document

05.2008 - Source: Sudan Organisation Against Torture

Nyala: Members of Zaghawa ethnic group arrested and tortured in detention ("Alternative Report To Sudan’s Periodic Report Before the 43rd Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Swaziland, May 2008)") [ID 24043]

"On 11 June 2006 five police officers from the Central Reserve Police arrested Sideeg Musa Saed (20 years old, Zaghawa, student) and Ismail Musa Abdel Gadeem (26 years old, Zaghawa, teacher) from al-Souq al-Shabi market in Nyala on suspicion of supporting one of the Darfur rebel factions.

The men were taken to the offices of the Central Reserve Police in Nyala, where they were beaten on their heads and backs with the butts of officers' guns and were flogged all over their bodies.

Mr Saead sustained serious injuries to his eye.

On the same day, the detainees were transferred to Nyala Wasat Police station where they were charged under Articles 50 (Undermining the Constitutional System) and 51 (Waging war against the State) of the Criminal Act 1991.

Mr Saed and Mr Gadeem were eventually acquitted and released. [...]

On 12 March 2006 police arrested Hashim Abdella Targiya (18 years old, Zaghawa) and Alsayid Adam Haroun (32 years old, Zaghawa) in the Otash IDP camp near Nyala, South Darfur.

The men were taken to Otash police station where they were subjected to physical abuse by three police officers.

The police officers tied the men's hands together with rope, kicked them with their boots and beat them on their faces.

Mr Targiya and Mr Haroun were released without charge the following day.

Both men sustained serious injuries during their detention."

Document(s): Open document

05.2008 - Source: Sudan Organisation Against Torture

South Darfur: Arbitrary arrest and torture in detention of members of the Fur ethnic group ("Alternative Report To Sudan’s Periodic Report Before the 43rd Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Swaziland, May 2008)") [ID 24045]

"On 25 April 2006 an individual named Ahmed al-Reheed (Fur) died in the custody of military intelligence in Sanya Dalaiba, South Darfur, as a result of physical abuse he suffered during 19 days that he spent in detention on suspicion of working with rebel groups.

No legal action has been taken against the perpetrators. [...]

On 7 September 2007 security agents arrested five men between the ages of 27 and 50 - four of Fur ethnicity and one of Marareet ethnicity - from the Otash IDP camp near Nyala, South Darfur, on suspicion of committing crimes against the state.

They were held without charge in the custody of the security services and were subjected to physical abuse including being flogged and kicked, and being beaten with hands and sticks.

The detainees were eventually released but the perpetrators of the abuse have not been arrested."

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2007 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

South Darfur: Violent clashes between Fur and Zaghawa IDPs and other ethnic groups in Kalma camp; Zaghawa and Massalit IDPs were detained and beaten by armed Fur men and children ("Final report on the situation of human rights in Darfur prepared by the group of experts mandated by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 4/8, presided by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan and composed of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment [A/HRC/6/19]") [ID 24046]

"In Kalma camp (South Darfur), a number of violent incidents broke out between Fur and Zaghawa IDPs following incidents that took place from 16 - 19 October 2007 during which three IDPs were killed and seven wounded.

Efforts by the Government to enter the camp were met with violent resistance. Humanitarian agencies were obliged to evacuate the camp. [...]

Violent incidents reported to have occurred inside Kalma camp between 18-23 October 2007, included attacks on civilians in market areas, restrictions on movements within the camp among tribal lines, as well as of those attempting to leave or return.

Much of the violence reported has been attributed to armed Fur, including children, against other tribes in the camp.

Four Zaghawa men were reported killed and one wounded on 18 October 2007.

The perpetrators were not identified.

Also on 18 October, a group of 30 armed and uniformed Fur men reportedly ordered shopkeepers in a Kalma market to close.

They shot in the air, destroyed some shop displays and provoked civilians to flee.

On 19 October, the same group returned in greater number and beat civilians.

On 20 October, groups of men armed with riffles and children armed with sticks from the Fur community organized in four sectors of the camp, where they implemented road blocks between the sectors to control the movement of IDPs along tribal lines, beating and arresting those from outside the Fur community.

Additional reports were received that Zaghawa and Massaliet IDPs were detained and beaten by armed Fur men and children."

Document(s): Open document

15.11.2007 - Source: UK Home Office

Students and members of marginalised groups, like the Nuba or people from Darfur, likely to be beaten or otherwise tortured after arrest ("Country of Origin Information Report; Sudan") [ID 24205]

"Amnesty International published a list of known political detainees in Sudan in June 2005 which contained a number of persons listed as students.

An accompanying public statement, dated 1 July 2005, remarks that:

"Students and members of marginalised groups, like the Nuba and people from Darfur, are most likely to be beaten and otherwise tortured after arrest."[16o-16p]

AI, SOAT, OMCT SHRO-Cairo also recorded a number of incidents of arrest, detention, and suspected or actual cases of torture - some of which resulted in death - against politically active students, many of whom were of Darfuri origin, in 2004, 2005 and 2006."

Document(s): Open document