El Mahdi’s children briefly detained in Sudan’s capital

The police on Friday dispersed crowds in Shambat, Khartoum North, as demonstrators gathered to demand the release of political prisoners, including National Umma Party (NUP) leader El Sadig El Mahdi and Ibrahim El Sheikh, of the Sudanese Congress Party.The police arrested 17 protestors including four daughters and a son of El Sadiq El Mahdi, Zainab, Maryam, Rabah, Um Salama, and Mohamed Ahmed. They were released in the late afternoon. Maryam El Mahdi, NUP communication officer, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they had been taken to a local police station being charged with criminal offenses for demonstrating without permission. Her father is held in prison since the 17th of May.The NUP leader is accused by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) of defaming the government after he had denounced the crimes committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur and Kordofan. The RSF are commanded by the NISS.El Mahdi said that the government militia is committing war crimes and atrocities against civilians. He is facing charges of defamation of the RSF, and breaching public peace, which is punishable by death, life imprisonment, and confiscation of assets.Sudan Tribune reported that 45 Islamic thinkers and scholars worldwide have signed a petition on Thursday urging president Omer Hassan Al Bashir to release El Mahdi.The authorities released Munzir Abu El Ma’ali, a senior member of the opposition Nasserist Arab Socialist Party, and Unionist Movement leader Ahmed Khadra. Both had been detained at their homes shortly before Friday’s demonstration.Sudanese security forces had arrested the opposition activists before and during the Khartoum demonstration.(Sources AA, ST, RD)Photo: Maryam El Mahdi, daughter of the National Umma Party leader and spokersperson (AFP)