Sudanese Congress Party pressed to apologise for criticising militia

The chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP), Ibrahim El Sheikh, currently held in a prison in El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, is still under pressure to apologise for his criticism of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Speaking to Radio Dabanga, SCP spokesman, Bakri Yousef, told Radio Dabanga that agents of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) continue to force El Sheikh to apologise for his criticism of the atrocities the RSF militia committed against civilians in Darfur and Kordofan. “Even members of the judiciary are putting pressure on him to change his opinion.” Yousef stressed that the Party and its chairman will keep to their standpoint that the RSF, commanded by the NISS, are unconstitutional. He expressed his Party’s concern about “the absence of any signs about an upcoming trial”, and demanded from the “competent judicial authorities to expedite the start of the trial”. Ibrahim El sheikh was detained from his home in En Nahud, West Kordofan, on 8 June by a large force of security forces. He was charged with undermining the constitutional order, opposing military actions, calling for armed opposition, publication of false news, and disturbing public peace. According to the NISS, he had humiliated the RSF at a symposium, by calling them “Janjaweed with no religion or ethics, raping women, abusing and killing civilians”. The charges filed against El Sheikh are punishable by the death penalty, and do not allow for release on bail. He and the SCP have been pressured more than once to officially offer their apologies for their criticism of the militias, in return for his release. File photo: Ibrahim El Sheikh Related:Sudanese Congress Party head to be tried in North Kordofan (27 August 2014) Seven party members, 513 others detained in Sudan (18 August 2014)Ailing El Sheikh returned to West Kordofan (14 August 2014)Sudanese Congress Party leaders detained (9 June 2014)