Five sheikhs of N. Darfur camps still detained after more than a year

Five sheikhs of the Darfuri refugees around El Fasher have been imprisoned for more than a year without facing charges or trial. Lawyers and human rights activists asked authorities in North Darfur to release the five sheikhs (elders).Earlier this month, the five sheikhs were released for 24 hours during the visit of the UN Security Council delegation to El Fasher. They were re-arrested after the departure of the delegation from El Fasher. They were transferred to Shalla Prison.  The families of the detainees said they learnt that the re-arrests followed new orders for the sheikhs to be detained for another three months.

The detainees are: Adam Yahia Dualbet of Abu Shouk camp who was arrested on 4 August 2009; Abu Basher Ali Ahmed of Abu Shouk camp who also was arrested on 4 August 2009; Hussein Isaac Yahia Adam of Abu Shouk camp who was arrested on 2 August 2009 , Hafiz Idris Duma of Al Salaam Camp in El Fasher who was arrested on 5 August 2009; Adam Harun Idris of Abu Shouk camp who was arrested on 5 August 2009. All of them are still in detention.