Trials postponed in Blue Nile, Sudan – prosecutors, complainants absent
The Human Rights and Development Organization (HUDO) issued an update on Wednesday regarding the 85 detainees who have been held without trial for more than a year in the Blue Nile state. As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, HUDO says that the detainees are part of a group of 113 that have been kept in various prisons in the state. Following heavy fighting between rebel forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) and pro-government militias in Blue Nile state in September 2011, Khartoum dismissed the state governor, replacing him with a military governor who subsequently declared a State of Emergency. “This gave state security authority to exercise arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killing involving a large number of civilians, accusing them of being affiliated to SPLM-N,” an earlier HUDO statement says. According to the most recent statement, the appointed court session was held in Sinja town, capital of Sinja State, on Monday and Tuesday, 20 and 21 May. It was presided over by the General Criminal Court Judge Abduelmoneim. On the first day, the case of Musa Jahalla Ando was adjourned until June 3, as neither the investigating officer nor the complainant attended the hearing. On the second day, the case against Elsir Aamir Elzaki and Abdalla Elzain Ragab was also postponed until 3 June. During this session, the judge heard the investigating officer, but neither the prosecutor nor the complainant attended, even though they had been informed. While Elsheikh Ali Elnour, Gomaa Hamid Mansour and Elrasheed Eloumda had their cases similarly postponed, the judge did not conduct any session or announce a date for the cases of the remaining 79 detainees. He said that this is “due to the security status” but did not explain further. A group of lawyers headed by Eltegani Hassan is appearing on behalf of all the accused. HUDO has appealed to the international diplomatic and humanitarian community to put pressure on the Sudanese government “to conduct a transparent and fair trial” for all detainees. File photoRelated: Appeal to Sudan government: ‘Fair trial for Blue Nile detainees’ (17 May 2013)
The Human Rights and Development Organization (HUDO) issued an update on Wednesday regarding the 85 detainees who have been held without trial for more than a year in the Blue Nile state.
As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, HUDO says that the detainees are part of a group of 113 that have been kept in various prisons in the state. Following heavy fighting between rebel forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) and pro-government militias in Blue Nile state in September 2011, Khartoum dismissed the state governor, replacing him with a military governor who subsequently declared a State of Emergency.
“This gave state security authority to exercise arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killing involving a large number of civilians, accusing them of being affiliated to SPLM-N,” an earlier HUDO statement says.
According to the most recent statement, the appointed court session was held in Sinja town, capital of Sinja State, on Monday and Tuesday, 20 and 21 May. It was presided over by the General Criminal Court Judge Abduelmoneim.
On the first day, the case of Musa Jahalla Ando was adjourned until June 3, as neither the investigating officer nor the complainant attended the hearing.
On the second day, the case against Elsir Aamir Elzaki and Abdalla Elzain Ragab was also postponed until 3 June. During this session, the judge heard the investigating officer, but neither the prosecutor nor the complainant attended, even though they had been informed.
While Elsheikh Ali Elnour, Gomaa Hamid Mansour and Elrasheed Eloumda had their cases similarly postponed, the judge did not conduct any session or announce a date for the cases of the remaining 79 detainees. He said that this is “due to the security status” but did not explain further.
A group of lawyers headed by Eltegani Hassan is appearing on behalf of all the accused.
HUDO has appealed to the international diplomatic and humanitarian community to put pressure on the Sudanese government “to conduct a transparent and fair trial” for all detainees.
File photo
Related: Appeal to Sudan government: ‘Fair trial for Blue Nile detainees’ (17 May 2013)
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