Sudan human rights group demands info on NISS detainees

The Human Rights Centre (HUDO), a Sudanese NGO dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, has demanded that the Sudanese government disclose the whereabouts of a political activist abducted in Omdurman on Sunday. HUDO also calls for the release of six South Kordofan youths detained on Tuesday.

A HUDO statement reports that Ahmed Abdallah Omar (known by his nickname Ombadi), is a 46-year-old agricultural engineer and political activist. On January 20 during the demonstration at El Arbaeen Street in Omdurman, a group of six armed men dressed in civilian clothes came to the street in a Toyota Hilux vehicle that had no number plate. On arrival, three of them surrounded Omar and started beating him with hoses till he fell down. Then they carried him, threw him onto the vehicle and drove away.

On January 22, his family went to the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) office and inquired about him but they were told that he is not with them and they don’t know about him.

HUDO is very concerned about the situation of civilians during this current condition of demonstrations and calls upon the Sudan government to disclose the whereabouts of Omar and to allow family and lawyers to visit him, and to immediately release him unconditionally or to present him before courts of law if there is a genuine case against him.

HUDO also demands that the Sudan government hold to account those who are responsible for ill-treatment of Omar and his disappearance.

Dilling youths

In a separate statement, HUDO says that on Tuesday, NISS agents arrested six youths in Delling in South Kordofan. Three of them were arrested from their homes and the other three from eilling market. Their whereabouts are unknown and they are suspected to be under torture. No reason was given for their arrest but it is suspected to be in connection with a planned visit of the President Al Bashir to Delling.

The names of those who were arrested from their homes are; Mohamed Ahmed Abouhum, 43 year-old trader; Mohamed Bilal El Zein, 27 years old, graduate and Mohamed Idris El Gedeil, 23 years, student. Those who were arrested from the town/market are: Abdallah Mirghani, 24 years old, student; El Zein Mohamed Elsadig, 30 years old graduate; Seifeldin El Hasab, 32 years, graduate.

In the evening of that day the families of the arrested people went to NISS office to inquire about their fate. But they were chased away and denied any information about them. This raised more fear that they could be undergoing tortured.

On Sunday, also in Delling, four youths were arrested and  released the next day but on condition that they report to NISS office in the town on a daily basis. They were arrested as a preventative measure against any opposing sign during the visit of the Sudan President to Delling.

The four youth were held from their homes. The next day they were intimidated and warned not gather with others or to attend the public speech of the president when he visits the town on January 28. They were later released with a condition of reporting to NISS office at 9 am on a daily basis.