Guests arrested as Sudan police raid wedding for ‘alcohol abuse’

Three lorry loads of riot police raided a wedding reception in Sudan’s Northern State on Saturday and beat the guests. Seven were arrested for allegedly drinking alcohol, which is strictly illegal in Sudan according to the country’s Islamic Public Order Law.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that after storming the wedding party at Korti in Merowe locality, the riot police used electric batons on the guests.

The police were clearly searching for alleged alcohol abusers. At least seven people were arrested and jailed for alcohol abuse and opposition of the authorities.

Public Order Law

The Public Order Law was initiated by the Sudanese government in Khartoum state in 1992, and amended in 1996 before it was applied to all states. In 2009, the name of the law was changed to the Community Safety Act, and the Public Order Police was changed to the Community Security Police.

The Law includes articles from chapter 15 of the Sudan Criminal Code, that criminalise certain personal behaviours such as indecent clothing, drinking of alcohol, offensive acts and seduction, among others.

Deadly moonshine

The unavailability of commercial alcohol leads some people in Sudan to brew their own illegal alcohol which can result in potentially lethal concoctions. In December 2017, at least 10 people from in the Khor Omar neighbourhood in Ed Daein, East Darfur died after drinking locally produced wine. Several people had to be treated in a dialysis centre. Others became blind.