EU hopes for release of all political detainees in Sudan

The European Union hopes that the release of National Umma Party (NUP) leader El Sadig El Mahdi will be followed by the release of all remaining political detainees. Today (Monday), the Ambassadors of the European Union countries present in Sudan paid a courtesy visit to El Sadig Al Mahdi, president of the NUP and former Prime Minister of Sudan, at his residence in Omdurman, an EU press statement said. The Ambassadors congratulated El Mahdi on his release, and discussed with him perspectives for a national dialogue. At the end of the meeting, EU Ambassador Tomas Ulicny told to the press that “The decision to release leading national figure El Sadig El Mahdi is a step into the right direction to resume the national dialogue for which El Sadig El Mahdi and the Umma Party are indispensable participants”. “The EU and its member states have issued a number of statements calling for the release of El Sadig El Mahdi, and all the political detainees in Sudan, as a prerequisite for a genuine national dialogue in Sudan.” “We hope the release of El Mahdi will be followed by the release of all the remaining political prisoners, including human rights activists, to resume a genuine national dialogue process, thus paving the way for creation of a national consensus that will promote unity and stability of the country”,  Ambassador Ulicny said. News photo: El Sadig El Mahdi receiving EU ambassadors after his release (Delegation of the European Union to Sudan)  Related: Sudan frees detained Umma Party leader El Mahdi (15 June 2014)