El Gedaref activist sentenced by Emergency Court in Sudan

On Thursday, the Emergency Court established under the legal provisions of the State of Emergency, in El Gedaref in eastern Sudan, headed by Judge Awad Omar, sentenced activist Jaafar Khidir to six months in prison and a fine of SDG 2,000 ($42*).

The complainants were two officers of El Gedaref security apparatus

According to lawyer Ramzi Yahya, Khidir was transferred to a prison inside the town to serve the sentence, although the defence body is considering filing an appeal against ruling.

Khidir is a symbol and one of the most prominent faces of the popular protests in El Gedaref, which witnessed a vast popular movement to demand the overthrow of the regime.

On March 16, the Emergency Court of El Gedaref in eastern Sudan sentenced El Khidir to a fine of SDG10,000 ($210) or a one-month jail in case of non-payment after he participated in last week's demonstrations. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that he refused to pay the fine.

Emergency Courts

Emergency Courts have been established to deal with cases related to the State of Emergency proclaimed in Sudan.  The number of reported cases prosecuted under the Emergency Law in Khartoum, Nile River state, El Gezira, Red Sea state, and El Gedaref, has risen to 163. In the period from February 28 to March 14, 530 people were accused. According to legal sources, 150 of them were convicted 243 were acquitted. Seven minors were conditionally released into the care of their families, while 137 defendants remain under judicial procedures.

The sentences handed down by the Emergency Courts have ranged from imprisonment for a maximum of five years and a minimum of seven days and fine of SDG 200 ($4.20*), in addition to confiscation and seizures in a number of cases.

* As effective foreign exchange rates can vary in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CboS)