06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government security forces continued to torture, beat and harass suspected political opponents in 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19130]

"Although the Interim National Constitution, adopted in July 2005 and hereafter referred to as the "interim constitution," prohibits such practices, government security forces continued to torture, beat, and harass suspected political opponents and others.

In December 2005 the Government of Southern Sudan adopted a separate constitution based on common law, which prohibits torture; however, SPLA forces did not respect these provisions in practice. [...]

During the year there were several reports of abuse by anti-smuggling police. For example, on March 27 anti-smuggling police in Kassala State, near the border with Eritrea, assaulted several persons from the Rashaida tribe in Hafayer town and confiscated their goods. Three days later, anti-smuggling police in Hafayer arrested and severely beat a Rashaida leader in front of his family. On April 23, anti-smuggling police arrested another man near Hafayer, confiscated his goods and money, and burned his hands with hot coal. The following day, anti-smuggling police raided a shop in Hafayer, confiscated several goods, and shot a 17-year-old boy in the foot as he was coming out of the local SPLM office.

On April 15, government soldiers arrested two men and one 13-year-old boy near Kulbus, West Darfur, and accused them of being "Tora Bora"--a slang term for Darfuri rebels. The soldiers beat the boy with electric wire and their rifle butts before transferring him to a detention cell for three days. While in detention, soldiers again beat the boy, threw water on him, and forced him to stand all night. On April 25, the boy was transferred to civilian custody and released the following day on orders of a judge in El Geneina.

On June 12, NISS officers detained and tortured a male student from the Islamic University in Omdurman. The student had distributed flyers calling for the university to reinstate several students who had been expelled for nonpayment of fees. The officials took the student to a room on campus, blindfolded him, and hung him by his feet from a ceiling fan. They then attempted to insert a glass bottle into his anus, beat him with a metal bar, and shocked his hands and feet with electric wires. They released him after he signed documents obliging him to pay over $7,000 (SDD 1.5 million). The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) later verified the victim's injuries with a medical certificate.

On September 7, SPLA soldiers beat at least six university students in Wau after the university director asked the SPLA to intervene to protect the university from student agitators. UNMIS reported that the students were beaten without provocation, some after simply acknowledging that they were students at the university. On September 19, the governor of Western Bahr al Ghazal ordered the university closed for one year and asked police and SPLA to remove all students from campus.

"

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Ongoing crackdown on political opponents in 2006 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19262]

"There were no reports of political prisoners; however, the government held an estimated 100 political detainees, including members of opposition parties. Security forces reportedly detained without charge, tortured, and held incommunicado political opponents (see section 1.c.). Detentions of such persons generally were prolonged. However, security forces frequently harassed political opponents by summoning them for questioning, forcing them to remain during the day without questioning, and then ordering their return the following day--a process that sometimes continued for weeks. [...]
Security forces arrested numerous persons suspected of supporting rebels in Darfur, some of whom were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death under special courts (see section 1.e.). For example, on April 19, NISS officers in Khartoum North detained the JEM's legal advisor and confiscated his belongings. Later in the day, officials transferred him to NISS headquarters, where he was held until May 2, when he was moved to the NISS section of Khobar prison in Khartoum North and charged with undermining the constitution, espionage, and obtaining official documents. A judge later ordered the man to be released because the government had held him for too long before filing charges. However, the NISS later brought the man to another judge, who ordered him detained for another week. He was later released."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Freedom of assembly and association restricted for opposition parties ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19288]

"Islamic orders associated with opposition political parties, particularly the Ansar (the Umma Party) and Khatmiya (the Democratic Unionist Party), continued to be denied permission to hold large public gatherings. Government security agents occasionally attended opposition political meetings or summoned participants to security headquarters for questioning after political meetings. [...]

On August 30, police and NISS officials violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration in Khartoum against rising sugar and fuel prices, which was organized by several opposition parties, labor unions, and civil society groups. Police sprayed tear gas and beat numerous protesters, including women and elderly men. At least one person died from tear gas inhalation. Police arrested at least 80 demonstrators; credible reports indicated those arrested were released by year's end.

In the wake of the protests, the government detained several opposition leaders, although most were quickly released without charge. [...]

The interim constitution and law provide for freedom of association, but the government severely restricted this right in practice. Although there were 20 officially registered political parties, the law effectively prohibits traditional political parties linked to armed opposition to the government. The Political Parties Act allows some formerly banned political parties to resume their activities, but the parties were required to notify the registrar in writing to participate in elections. Observers believed that the government controlled professional associations.

The government continued to harass some opposition leaders who spoke with foreign organizations or embassies."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Non-Arab Muslims and Muslims from tribes and sects not affiliated with ruling party discriminated against in government jobs and contracts ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19401]

"However, non-Arab Muslims and Muslims from tribes and sects not affiliated with the ruling party, such as in Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, stated that they were treated as second-class citizens and were discriminated against in government jobs and contracts in the north and government-controlled southern areas. For example, the employment application of the Ministry of Energy and Mining emphasizes nationality, creed, and tribe; Muslims associated with the NCP were given preference in government employment."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Members of opposition and NGOs detained at airport and prevented from travelling abroad ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19406]

"The government detained persons, particularly opposition political figures, at the airport and prevented them from traveling due to "security concerns." For example, on August 20, the government prevented the director of a local NGO working in Darfur from departing the country to attend a conference overseas and confiscated his passport."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Law allows existence of political parties, but prohibits parties linked to armed opposition to government; political opponents frequently arrested, detained and physically abused ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19832]

"The law allows the existence of political parties but prohibits parties linked to armed opposition to the government, and the government routinely denied permission for and disrupted gatherings viewed as politically oriented (see section 2.b.). Security forces arrested, detained, and on occasion beat political opponents (see sections 1.c. and 1.d.). During the year opposition parties became more vocal in demanding inclusion, and the government sought the support of additional parties to add legitimacy to the CPA.

The government continued summarily to dismiss military personnel as well as civilian government employees whose loyalty it considered suspect in a process called "separation for public interest." Authorities fired or arrested military officers either because they were from Darfur or did not support the ruling party strongly enough. "

Document(s): Open document

06.09.2006 - Source: BBC News

Opposition planned fuel protest crushed by security forces ("Sudan forces crush fuel protest") [ID 15800]

"Opposition political parties had planned a demonstration against a rise in fuel prices. But it was declared illegal and hundreds of riot police were deployed to prevent it taking place."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Wave of persecution of opposition members after coup in 1989; some political prisoners released, but many still imprisoned ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 18929]

"There was a wave of persecution of members of opposition parties or movements after the coup in 1989. Most opposition movements and parties gathered under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with its headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea. [...]
On 30 June 2005, after a statement of the president, 29 political prisoners were released: eight members of the PNC, including Hassan Al Turabi who was again in detention without charge since March 2004, six Manasseer tribe activists who had protested against mass relocation for the construction of the Marawi Dam, and 15 Beja Congress activists. No political prisoners in Darfur were released and many others are still imprisoned. Amnesty International reacted by publishing a list of 330 political detainees who have not been released yet. Many of them are detained without charge.
The leading figures of the established Khartoum-based political movements are not being imprisoned at the moment. This might just be a temporary phenomenon, as for example, in the past, Al Turabi was released from detention, but arrested again, after rumours of a coup were fabricated. Mid-level and low-level opposition operatives, however, are at a higher risk of being persecuted."

Document(s): Open document

20.04.2006 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Getting exit visa remains hard for political opponents ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 19055]

"It’s not a fact that political opponents don’t get exit visa at all; it just might takes a couple of months or even years, and through all those years the passport stays with the authorities."

Document(s): Open document

10.02.2006 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Political opponents required to report to security offices every day ("UNHCR's position on Sudanese asylum-seekers from Darfur") [#44832],  [ID 18371]

"Since the security forces wield considerable power, arbitrary detention
for much longer periods persists. In addition, many suspected political opponents are
required to report every day to security offices, where they have to stay all day."

Document(s): Open document