Three Sudanese ‘protesters’ sentenced, 13 acquitted

The Criminal Court of Kalakla has convicted three men for joining the public protests against the removal of fuel subsidies in September, sentencing each to three years’ imprisonment. 13 others, including two minors, were acquitted. The defence lawyers confirmed in their statement, received by Radio Dabanga, that four of the accused were taken from their beds in the early hours of the morning. One had only just arrived in Khartoum for medical treatment. The Lawyers’ statement alleges that the accused were tortured and “stripped of their human dignity”. According to the defence lawyers’ statement, the accused were arrested on 29 September – five days after large demonstrations in Khartoum on 24 September – after someone working with the police filed a complaint. During the trial, public prosecutors did not manage to prove any of the accusations against the 16 accused. 13 were acquitted, but Yusuf Ibrahim, Deng Luwal and Tong Khamis were sentenced to prison for the period of three years. The lawyers allege that the trumped-up charges brought against the 16 detainees were motivated by social and racial discrimination. Their lawyers noted that they will appeal the conviction.