SCP students detained in West Darfur

Security forces stormed the premises of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) in El Geneina, capital of West Darfur state, and detained a number of student members on Saturday.

Abubakar Yousef, spokesman for the SCP, told Dabanga that a group of security agents in four Land Cruisers stopped in front of the party premises at about 5am.

“They detained Mohamed Adam, and several other students whose names are not known, and who do not belong to the SCP. The agents also took a number of documents and posters of old party activities, and folders and pamphlets with them.”

Yousef considers the raid as “a sign of a new escalation of repression by the government. “Besides, the raid is illegal, as the forces could not prove that they had been ordered to search the premises by the competent authorities.”

The raid took place against the backdrop of a sit-in organised by students of the University of El Geneina. “SCP student members played a large role in the protest, and clearly the Student Affairs Office of the university is cooperating with the security apparatus,” he explained.

The SCP has formed a legal committee that “will raise the constitutional complaint, and will address the Political Parties Council about the case, demanding to perform its duties”. The SCP spokesman added that the party “has other options” which he did not identify.