Man tortured to death in Khartoum police custody

A young man died on Sunday after his health deteriorated as a result of the torture he was subjected to in a police department in eastern Khartoum.

The 21-year-old Mohamed El Taher Mohamed Omar died in Um Dawanban hospital, where he was transferred to from the police department in Um Dawanban. According to lawyers, policemen beat and tortured him to obtain a confession on charges he faced.

Omar was arrested in the beginning of September, the lawyers told reporters, together with three other employees of a local restaurant. They were accused of stealing a mobile phone, detained by the police department, and tortured. The theft of the mobile phone was not proved.

Last week, a local court was supposed to look into the case of Omar and his colleagues. The police, however, were reluctant to turn them over to the court, because of the deterioration of their health and physical condition.

The lawyers explained that the condition of Omar deteriorated rapidly on Sunday morning and he was transferred to the hospital, where he died.