Sudan human rights group calls for release of South Kordofan detainees

HUDO, a Sudanese NGO dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, has called on the authorities in South Kordofan to release all detainees in accordance with the pledge of the Transitional Military Council.

In a statement yesterday, HUDO says that Mohamed Ismail El Dodo has been denied freedom by Military Intelligence in South Kordofan, following the announcement by Sudan’s Transitional Military Council to release all political detainees.

According to a statement by HUDO, El Dodo is still held incommunicado and likely to be undergoing torture. Mohamed El Dodo, 27 years old, is a farmer from El Fayid Um Abdallah. El Faid Um Abdallah and Um Barambita are small towns in Rashad locality (formerly called Abu Kershola locality) in South Kordofan.

On 10 April, the Transitional Military Council which ousted former President Omar Al Bashir due to the ongoing civic uprising (demonstrations) announced the release of all political detainees/ prisoners but many are still detained.

El Dodo is one of those who are still in detention. He was arrested on 28th March 2019 by Military Intelligence (MI) soldiers from El Faid Um Abdallah market without giving reason for his arrest and took him to the town’s military base. Soon after, his mother who was informed by eye witnesses went to the military base asking about him. The soldiers informed her that, her son was deported to Um Barambita military quarters. They also instructed her not to go there because visitors are not allowed. There is no confirmed information about his whereabouts which raises the fear that he could be undergoing torture.

HUDO is very concerned about El Dodo’s life as well as other civilians facing the same fate, and calls upon the Transitional Military Council to observe the release announcement’s implementation. The Sudan military to be impartial and stop discrimination in releasing detainee. The military authority in South Kordofan state to immediately disclose the whereabouts of El Dodo and release him unconditionally. The military in South Kordofan to respond to the ongoing public demonstrations and people’s voice respectfully, the statement concludes.