Environmental activists detained in South Kordofan

Sudan’s National Committee for Environmental Advocacy has strongly condemned the arrest of a number of activists and environment defenders in South Kordofan.
The secretary-general of the committee, Ahmed Mukhtar, told Radio Dabanga that state governor Eisa Abakar had ordered the arrest of four teachers and three other activists in Kalogi.
“The mining operations under the supervision of Governor Abakar are not only an abuse of power, but as well seriously affects the environment and the health of the people in the state,” he said.
Mukhtar said he expects the activists to stay behind bars for months without a trial.
Gold smuggling exposed
The secretary-general as well denounced the arrest of three activists last week. “The charges of defamation of character ordered by the governor against activists Awadiya Mursal, Mohsin Mousa, and Mohamed Mahjoub, are just as arbitrary and unfair.”
The three were detained after they posted texts on Facebook, accusing the South Kordofan governor of smuggling gold from the state capital Kadugli and using government vehicles for that purpose. They claimed that a number of these vehicles, on their way to Khartoum, were recently seized by the authorities.