‘Conditional release’ for 18 women detained in Sudan’s North Kordofan
A group of 18 women who have been detained “without access to lawyers or due legal process” since November 2012 in Obeid, capital of North Kordofan in Sudan, were “conditionally released” on Saturday, according to a statement by the Human Rights and Development Organisation (HUDO). They are the last of a group of 32, who were arrested for alleged links to the Sudanese rebel group, the SPLA-North, who have been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces in both South Kordofan since 2011 and Blue Nile state since last year. The HUDO report says that five women had their infants of between four and 18 months with them in jail, seven women suffer from chronic diseases, and one, Khadija Mohamed Badr, had to be transferred to hospital in Khartoum as she suffered severe back pain as a result of the arrest. In April, 14 of the group were released on bail with travel restrictions. On 13 May, the remaining 18 went on a hunger strike to protest their detention without trial. On Friday, the remaining 18 women were moved from Obeid to Kadugli prison, in South Kordofan. The next day, a panel of high-level local South Kordofan officials informed them that “cases had been opened against them, and that they would be conditionally released”. The conditions include guarantees from relatives, travel restrictions, and hefty fines for any “repeat offence”. They were also informed that they would be “under focus” and that they would be “asked to attend a meeting with the state governor”. The panel promised any governmental employees that they can return to their jobs, and will be entitled to back-pay for the last nine months, “after the Council of Ministers decides”. HUDO hailed the women’s release as a “partial victory”, and thanked “all NGOs, UN agencies, Embassies and other groups for their campaign and support thus far which resulted this release”. File photo Related: Detained women on hunger strike in North Kordofan prison, Sudan (14 May 2013) 13 South Kordofan women re-investigated despite expected ‘release’ (22 April 2013 – Radio Tamazuj)Woman detainee leaves hospital back to prison in Sudan (11 March 2013)
A group of 18 women who have been detained “without access to lawyers or due legal process” since November 2012 in Obeid, capital of North Kordofan in Sudan, were “conditionally released” on Saturday, according to a statement by the Human Rights and Development Organisation (HUDO).
They are the last of a group of 32, who were arrested for alleged links to the Sudanese rebel group, the SPLA-North, who have been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces in both South Kordofan since 2011 and Blue Nile state since last year.
The HUDO report says that five women had their infants of between four and 18 months with them in jail, seven women suffer from chronic diseases, and one, Khadija Mohamed Badr, had to be transferred to hospital in Khartoum as she suffered severe back pain as a result of the arrest.
In April, 14 of the group were released on bail with travel restrictions. On 13 May, the remaining 18 went on a hunger strike to protest their detention without trial.
On Friday, the remaining 18 women were moved from Obeid to Kadugli prison, in South Kordofan. The next day, a panel of high-level local South Kordofan officials informed them that “cases had been opened against them, and that they would be conditionally released”.
The conditions include guarantees from relatives, travel restrictions, and hefty fines for any “repeat offence”. They were also informed that they would be “under focus” and that they would be “asked to attend a meeting with the state governor”.
The panel promised any governmental employees that they can return to their jobs, and will be entitled to back-pay for the last nine months, “after the Council of Ministers decides”.
HUDO hailed the women’s release as a “partial victory”, and thanked “all NGOs, UN agencies, Embassies and other groups for their campaign and support thus far which resulted this release”.
File photo
Related:
Detained women on hunger strike in North Kordofan prison, Sudan (14 May 2013)
13 South Kordofan women re-investigated despite expected ‘release’ (22 April 2013 – Radio Tamazuj)
Woman detainee leaves hospital back to prison in Sudan (11 March 2013)
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