Sudan army officers detain Nuba farmer

The Sudanese Human Rights and Development Organisation (HUDO) reported yesterday that 42-year old farmer El Safi El Degein was taken from his home by eight army officers in Aleri Ghareib in South Kordofan on Saturday evening. HUDO fears he is being tortured.

El Degein was first held at the army base in Aleri Ghareib. On Sunday he was taken to the army base in Talodi, 55 kilometers away. No reason was given for his detention. He has been denied access to his visitors, family and lawyers.

A reliable source informed HUDO that the detention is related to El Degein’s political activities in the past.

The human rights organisation expressed its concerns about El Degein’s detention. It calls upon the Sudanese government to immediately disclose the reason for his detention, to allow his family and lawyer to visit him, and to bring him before a court or release him unconditionally.

HUDO further urges the Sudanese government to end the State of Emergency, which enables the Sudan Armed Forces and government militias to detain people at will.

Rebel movement

Almost two months ago HUDO reported that military intelligence officers detained 63-years old tailor Adam Suliman at his workplace in Rashad, South Kordofan. He was interrogated about his political activities nine years ago, when he was a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and candidate for the South Kordofan legislative council elections in 2011.

He was released the same evening, after being threatened that he will be detained and tortured if he is in contact with the SPLM-N.

That same week a bus passenger from the Nuba Mountains was insulted for being 'black' and briefly detained by security personnel in Kosti in White Nile state. He was released after pressure from his fellow passengers who refused to proceed to Khartoum without him.

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