05.05.2008 - Source: Freedom House

Government is growing more hostile toward international NGOs ("The Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies 2008") [ID 23572]

"As the Darfur crisis garners more negative attention for Sudan, the government is growing more hostile toward international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating in the country, particularly because many NGOs are spearheading pressure campaigns against it from cities like London, Washington, and New York.

Many local and international NGOs still operate in the country, but the government restricts their activities at times and can suspend or expel foreign NGOs it considers troublesome.

NGOs are also subject to physical danger if they operate in conflict areas like Darfur."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

NGOs and human rights workers, particularly in Darfur, are subjected to killings, threats, attacks, government harassment, abduction and robbery ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23230]

"Various local human rights groups were active in the country, but they suffered from government harassment, particularly those groups reporting on sexual violence.

The government was generally uncooperative with and unresponsive to domestic human rights groups.

Major local NGOs included Sudan Organization Against Torture and Sudan Development Organization.

In an effort to silence them, the government often charged human rights groups with spreading false information.

For instance, the government harassed NGOs in Darfur, intimidated their local staff, and arrested and detained workers treating victims of sexual violence.

Government security forces often detained humanitarian staff members under the Criminal Act, usually on charges of spreading false information.

During the year 13 human rights workers were killed, 59 were assaulted, 61 were arrested and detained, and 147 were kidnapped, according to the UN.

Also according to the UN, there were 77 attacks on humanitarian convoys, and 137 humanitarian vehicles were hijacked or stolen during the year.

On March 28, the government and the UN signed the Joint Communiqué, an agreement intended to reduce bureaucratic impediments to humanitarian assistance by improving the efficiency with which the government processes visas and travel permits and clears customs for humanitarian NGOs.

Despite the signing of the Joint Communiqué, humanitarian NGOs operating in Darfur continued to face bureaucratic impediments to their work.

All NGOs must register with the HAC, the government's entity for regulating humanitarian efforts.

In 2005 the HAC assumed a role in hiring NGO national staff, which caused major delays in hiring new staff for Darfur and resulted in some NGO selections not being considered.[...]

In March the South Darfur HAC issued a decree suspending more than 50 local human rights NGOs.

In August the government expelled the country director of the international NGO CARE, accusing him of engaging in unspecified illegal activities.

In March 2006 the government enacted the Organization of Humanitarian and Voluntary Work Act, which requires government approval before NGOs can begin work on projects and places restrictions on the acceptance of foreign money by NGOs operating in the country.

Many NGOs believed that the government used the new law to curtail their work on human rights.

Rebels and other armed bandits abducted NGO workers and contractors, particularly in Darfur.

Banditry and armed robbery of humanitarian convoys by rebel groups in Darfur was common.

For example, between July 14 and July 17, armed men conducted five separate attacks on vehicles transporting UN World Food Program commodities in South Darfur.

According to UN reports, attacks against aid workers increased by 150 percent from June 2006 to June 2007.

Such attacks have forced humanitarian aid workers to relocate on numerous occasions."

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2007 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Several journalists and human rights activists were detained for a short time and interrogated by the National Security Service (NSS) in Khartoum North in November 2007 ("Ongoing harassment against human rights defenders and journalists in Khartoum [SDN 003 / 1107 / OBS 148]") [ID 21762]

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Members of human rights NGOs and human rights defenders harassed and sometimes detained ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20079]

"

• A meeting of national and international NGOs in advance of the African Union summit in Khartoum in January, attended by AI delegates, was raided by National Security agents. Three of the participants were briefly detained.

• In February, five members of the non-governmental Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) were detained for several hours after they held a training session in human rights monitoring in al-Da'ein University in South Darfur. [...]

Human rights defenders were harassed and sometimes detained.

• Mossaad Mohammed Ali and Adam Mohammed Sharif, two human rights lawyers, were briefly detained in May. They were working with the non-governmental Amal Centre, which provides legal aid and rehabilitation for torture victims. Adam Mohammed Sharif was freed the following day, but Mossaad Mohammed Ali was held for five days before being released after worldwide protests. They were not charged and no reason was given for their detention."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Lawyers wishing to practice required to be member of government-controlled bar association; ongoing harassment of lawyers ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19263]

"Lawyers wishing to practice were required to maintain membership in the government-controlled bar association. The government continued to harass members of the legal profession whom it considered political opponents. In September 2005 security forces in Darfur briefly detained Darfur Lawyers Association director Mohamed Addoma and several fellow lawyers while they were attending a conference on legal aid; however, there were no such reports of harassment during the year. "

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human rights activists continued to face harassment or mistreatment in 2006 ("World Report 2007") [ID 19069]

"Journalists and human rights defenders continued to suffer harassment, arrest and detention without charge, and other forms of intimidation, mainly from Sudanese security forces in Darfur and Khartoum. [...]
Human rights activists continue to face harassment or mistreatment in Sudan. Individuals or organizations raising concerns about the humanitarian or human rights situation in Darfur did so in an atmosphere of increasing intimidation, with Sudanese officials making threatening accusations in the pro-government press. Security forces stormed a meeting of Sudanese and international human rights activists during the January 2006 African Union Summit in Khartoum, detaining the group for hours and confiscating personal belongings. Staff working for the Sudanese Organization against Torture and other non-governmental organizations were repeatedly arbitrarily detained and questioned by government security agencies in Darfur."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights activists continue to be target of repression ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 18322]

"Hundreds of political prisoners continued to be held arbitrarily in Khartoum. Arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, torture and restrictions on freedom of expression persisted, aimed in particular at human rights defenders, student activists and internally displaced people in and around Khartoum. [...]

Human rights defenders and their organizations continued to face harassment and repression. The government initiated legal proceedings against one of the country’s leading human rights groups, the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT), in an apparent attempt to silence it. The Bureau of Crimes Against the State reportedly began proceedings for spreading false information at the end of August, but did not inform the organization. Its members, charged with disclosing military information, propagating false news and public order offences, could face more than five years’ imprisonment. Prominent human rights activist Mudawi Ibrahim was arrested on 24 January, went on hunger strike and was detained without charge until 3 March. On 8 May he was again arrested while leaving Sudan to receive a Front Line Defenders award from the President of Ireland. After considerable international pressure, he was released uncharged on 17 May. Adil Abdallah Nasr al-Din, the Director of a branch of the non-governmental Sudan Social Development Organization in Zalengei, west Darfur, was released on 19 April. He had been arrested in September 2004 and detained without charge or trial for four months, first in an unofficial detention centre near Kober prison in Khartoum and then for two months in Debek prison, north of Khartoum. He was reported to have been regularly beaten and tied up during his detention."

Document(s): Open document

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

Sudanese Bar Association strictly controlled by government ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 18918]

"After the coup, the new regime started to control the Sudanese Bar Association which formerly was quite powerful, with well educated lawyers. Today, the Bar Association is strictly controlled by the government. Legal professionals complain about rigged elections to the management. A number of courageous lawyers still do represent political cases and torture victims, but they risk harassment, arbitrary detention and torture themselves."

Document(s): Open document

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

Members of civil society and human rights defenders under surveillance and might be arbitrarily arrested and detained ("10th European Country of Origin Infomation Seminar Budapest, 1 - 2 December 2005: Final Report on Sudan") [#49770],  [ID 18933]

"Civil society is perceived as a threat to the regime, and the regime reacts accordingly. Members of civil society and human rights defenders are under surveillance and might be arbitrarily arrested and detained. Depending on the charges, their status and the location they may then also be subjected to torture.
Civil society has become stronger, also thanks to the UN and international NGOs. Recently a new ordinance was passed whereby all NGOs would have to re-register. If this ordinance is implemented, much of civil society will become illegal and will have to move underground.
HA: The government is not scared of Turabi and other political groups, but alarmed over civil society. In 2001, there were about 30, 40 NGOs working in the field of human rights. Now, there are 108 NGOs only in Khartoum dealing with human rights and humanitarian relief. The government considers this development as a threat. Therefore persons, who work on human rights, especially in very fragile areas like Kassala in South Sudan and Darfur, might be at risk."

Document(s): Open document

10.02.2006 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Darfur: Human rights activists and persons associated with international NGOs subjected to abduction, harassment and intimidation ("UNHCR's position on Sudanese asylum-seekers from Darfur") [#44832],  [ID 18375]

"Some lawyers and others involved in legal aid and human rights networks, together with persons associated with international NGOs have been subject to abduction, harassment and intimidation."

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Defenders remained under serious threat of arbitrary arrest and detention ("World Report 2006") [#42306],  [ID 15617]

"Human rights defenders and other activists remained under serious threat of arbitrary arrest and detention in 2005. A prominent human rights defender based in Khartoum, Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, the chairperson of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO), was arrested twice—in January and May 2005—and charged with “crimes against the state.” Articles 51, 52, 53, and 58 of the Sudanese Criminal Code, which include “crimes against the state” and espionage, were often used used to intimidate individuals speaking out about abuses, including international humanitarian aid workers working in Darfur. More than twenty international or national aid workers were arbitrarily arrested, detained, or threatened by Sudanese police and security forces in Darfur in the first six months of the year alone."

Document(s): Open document