Trial of Sudan teenagers accused of killing senior policeman postponed

Mohamed Adam (17) nicknamed ‘Tupac', and Mohamed El Fateh (18), nicknamed 'El Nana', and Musab El Shareef, who have been detained since January 14 on suspicion of killing a high-ranking police officer, had their trial postponed till June 26, after an appeal on behalf of the detainees was submitted by their lawyers.

The appeal challenging the prosecution, seeks to access the original investigation file, and requests that the accused be presented before a medical committee for an assessment.

Mohamed Adam has allegedly been subjected to more intimidation since the start of the proceedings on May 29.

The controversy surrounding Adam’s recent treatment inside Kober Prison occurred due to his treatment as a convict, as he was allegedly placed in the western cells of the prison which is reserved for those sentenced to death. This is contrary to Sudan’s law, as the accused is innocent until proven guilty.

Torture and detention 

In a statement published on February 28, Amnesty International wrote that "there are credible concerns the youths were abducted and held without charge, in violation of their due process rights, and subjected to torture while in detention".

Adam's mother reported that she saw that two nails had been hammered into his legs, which had also been beaten whilst still injured from the gunshot wounds sustained at the protests. These injuries have left him unable to walk, Amnesty reported.

For the first three weeks after their detention in mid-January, they were held incommunicado without access to their families, lawyer, or a doctor. Throughout their detention, both activists were subjected to torture.

Adam was detained whilst he was in the hospital for treatment after he sustained two gunshot wounds in his leg during the January 13 Marches of the Millions.

'The two were questioned about the sources of funding behind the protests and about members of resistance committees, but not about the police brigadier they were accused of stabbing him to death' – defence lawyer Eman Hasan

In January, lawyer Eman Hasan told Radio Dabanga that the two detainees were questioned about the sources of funding behind the protests and about members of resistance committees, but not about the police brigadier they were accused of stabbing him to death. In February, he was transferred to another prison in the capital, where his mother Nidal was finally allowed to see him.

Adam’s lawyers and rights groups say that is where he was tortured and interrogated about the protest movement for three weeks, before eventually giving a false confession. He was suspended from his feet. He was subjected to continuous beatings, and he was deprived of water. The plaster was removed from his broken leg without medical supervision.

He suffered from swellings in the nose and behind the ear due to being hit with rifle butts. He was previously unable to stand on his feet, the lawyer reported. Mohamed El Fateh 'El Nana' (18) sustained injuries to his back as a result of torture.