Sudan’s Umma Party condemns continuing Khartoum detentions

The National Umma Party (NUP) has denounced Sudan’s ruling party and the security services for their detentions of activists, politicians, and party leaders in Khartoum these past days, to prevent the commemoration of killed protesters one year ago. A total of 60 people in solidarity with the victims were detained by the security apparatus in Khartoum from Saturday until today.According to Siddig Yousef of the Sudanese Committee of Solidarity with the Victims of the September Demonstrations, 12 political activists – some of them belonging to the National Umma Party – were detained on Wednesday. Sarah Nugdallah (Secretary-General of the Umma Party), Rabah El Sadig (daughter of Umma Party leader El Sadig El Mahdi), and Ilham Malik were amongst the 12 arrested. The three aforementioned detainees were released after a few hours. Yousef stressed that he does not know if the others are still detained or have also been released.   Dr Maryam El Sadig El Mahdi, NUP Vice-President, told Radio Dabanga that the arrests reflect the fear, panic, and failure of the regime. According to her, the National Dialogue process has ended, in the absence of freedoms, restrictions on the movement of people, and peaceful gatherings. Dr El Mahdi renewed the Umma Party’s boycott of the “absurd” national elections, planned by the National Congress Party in 2015. She associated the party’s participation in the elections with the formation of a transitional government through a democratic independent process.Commemorative posters confiscatedYousef also told Radio Dabanga that security elements have expropriated about 17,000 Solidarity Committee posters with photos of the victims. The owner of the printing house was also arrested. He called on the Sudanese people to continue commemorating those who fell in September last year, and demanded the authorities to immediately release all political detainees. Authorities continue to arrest activists Meanwhile in Sudan’s capital, the security forces have continued the detention campaign against activists, to prevent commemoration services of the victims of the September 2013 protests. A group of 12 political activists was detained as it went to attend a memorial service in Shambat neighbourhood in Khartoum North on Wednesday. The service was meant for Sarah Abdelbagi, killed during the demonstrations in Sudan’s capital in September 2013.Eman Abdelbagi, sister of Sarah, told Sudan Tribune that her family has succeeded in organising the memorial service, despite harassment by the security apparatus. It closed roads leading to her house, and arrested some of the participants. Abdelbagi confirmed the arrest of Ayman Saeed, Nazim Siraj, Muawia Mohamad Ali and Ibrahim El Safi.More students arrestedAuthorities detained student members of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the New Forces of Democracy (HAG) on Wednesday. Witnesses confirmed to Radio Dabanga the detention of El  Sadig Adlan and Musab Hassan Subahi of the DUP in front of El Azhari University in the evening. Security forces held student Adlan Bashir Abdelgader together with six others at a cafeteria at El Sayed Abdel Rahman street, in the centre of Khartoum, on Tuesday afternoon. They have been taken to an unknown destination. Last Tuesday it was exactly one year ago since security forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Sudan, who went to the streets in protest against the lifting of fuel subsidies. Hundreds of people were killed. File photo: Protest in Sudan in September 2013. Related: Sudan’s dialogue parties condemn detentions; 13 activists released (25 September 2014) Sudan security detains more than 50 Khartoum activists (23 September 2014)