More teachers detained in South Darfur

The South Darfur state authorities are continuing a sustained campaign of detention of teachers and activists. The South Darfur Teachers’ Committee said in a statement from the state capital of Nyala on Wednesday that the authorities detained 14 leading members of the committee and of departments of the Ministry of Education, including the head of the committee, his deputy, the director of Student Affairs and Examinations, and a number of directors of secondary schools.

In El Gezira, five detainees (members of the Empowerment Removal Committee and the Forces for Freedom and Change Coordination Committee), were transferred from the Wad Madani Prison to Khartoum yesterday. Sources reported that among those moved to Khartoum are Abdallah El Hasan, Samer Salah, and Taha Awad, along with two others. The sources indicate that 44 detainees remain in a civilian prison.

As reported by Radio Dabanga yesterday, the Forces for Freedom and Change in Wad Madani hold the El Gezira authorities responsible for the safety of detained activists headed by teachers El Hasan and Salah, held in Wad Madani Prison who embarked on a hunger strike three days ago because of ill-treatment.

The Sudan Bar Association headed by prominent human rights defender Kamal El Jezouli has submitted a request to the State Security Prosecution to divulge the names of political detainees since October 25, in the presence of lawyers.

In a statement yesterday, the lawyers explained that the continued detention of detainees puts them in a situation of “enforced disappearance”, pointing to Sudan’s accession to the international treaty against this type of practices.