Sudanese protesters accused of killing policeman tortured in detention

Protesters Mohamed Adam (17) and Mohamed El Fateh (18) who were detained on January 14 on charges of killing a police officer, have been subjected to severe beatings and electric shocks.

Lawyer Eman Hasan told Radio Dabanga that Adam, nicknamed ‘Tupac’, was repeatedly beaten on his wounded leg. El Fateh, nicknamed El Nana, who is originally from Wad Madani, capital of El Gezira, was injured in the head and hand.

She noted that the two detainees, accused of stabbing Brig Ali Bereima to death during the demonstrations in Khartoum on the morning of January 13, have been questioned about the sources of funding behind the protests and about members of resistance committees, but not about the police brigadier.

On January 14, a force wearing civilian clothes and driving unmarked vehicles without plates detained wounded protesters and their companions as they were leaving the Royal Care Hospital in eastern Khartoum.

The authorities hold them responsible for the killing of Brig Bereima during the protests. Various Sudanese however reported on social media that Brig Ali Bereima was killed a week before. Others tweeted that the police officer was killed in the early morning of January 13, while the demonstrations started much later that day.

Eman Hasan further said that on Thursday charges were lifted against five other protesters, including two young women, who were also charged with the killing. The lawyer accused the Attorney General and the prosecutor of obstructing justice by not accepting applications submitted by lawyers.

‘Ill-treated’

Nidal Suleiman, the mother of Mohamed ‘Tupac’, told Radio Dabanga that the authorities did not allow her to visit her son or to be informed about the charges against him.

She said that her 17-year-old son was wounded in his right leg during the January 13 March of Millions and is suffering from high blood pressure. He was held in front of the Royal Care Hospital in Burri on the morning of January 14. “I heard that he hasn’t seen a doctor since then.”

The mother, supported by lawyers, has submitted requests to the Public Prosecution, the police, and the Criminal Investigations office, “but we were ill-treated and expelled”. 

Inconsistencies

TIn a statement on Sunday, the defence team of the protesters charged with killing Brig Ali Bereima in central Khartoum reported as well that the detainees were subjected to torture.

The lawyers accused the Public Prosecutor of “abandoning his responsibilities and encouraging the police to abuse and distort the law”.

They also pointed to the inconsistency in the police statements issued on two consecutive days. In its statement on January 13, the police press office announced that the killer was arrested, admitted stabbing the brigadier, and that the rest of the accused were tracked down. The next day, the protesters were accused.

According to the defence team, “the police are now at the same time complainant and investigator concerning the death of Brig Ali Bereima. They have set up their own court which is putting the detainees on trial through media outlets.”

Policemen said in a video that day that Bereima was stabbed twice by “scary demonstrators under the influence of drugs”. A reporter for France 24 said on January 13 that the many posts on social media about the March of Millions that day did not mention the death of a police officer. He added that policemen mostly keep a distance from demonstrators.