Two lawyers detained in Sudan’s security campaign

The Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) detained two lawyers in Khartoum North who were speaking out against the recent economic decisions on Friday morning.

Ahmed El Fadlabi and Hashim El Tayeb were distributing leaflets and posters in Bahri that reject the government's economic policies to lift fuel subsidies and increase electricity tariffs. Security agents arrived at the scene to detain them.

The Democratic Lawyers Association condemned the detentions and hold the security servuce responsible for the health and safety of the detainees. They called on human rights organisations to address the detentions and work for the release of detainees.

The NISS are on high alert since the beginning of this month after the government announced the implementation of the economic measures on 3 November. In addition the Central Bank of Sudan decided to free the exchange rate of the US Dollar for the import of medicines, remittances of expatriates, and flights of foreign companies.

22 politicians detained

In total, 22 leaders and members of the Sudanese Congress Party, the Reform Now Movement, and the Communist Party have been detained in November, Radio Dabanga reported. The NISS detained more than 26 students when they dispersed demonstrations in Khartoum, Atbara, and El Gedaref. Three Sudanese newspapers were gagged after they published articles that criticised the huge price increases.

In response to the unrest, Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said that those who have been arrested in the past days will be taken to trial soon. He confirmed that the government has taken measures to prevent the occurrence of incidents in the country.

The decision to lift subsidies on fuel is not new, but was agreed upon in 2013, and what has happened now is just the actual implementation, Osman explained.