Umma party leader demands fair trial in Sudan
The detained leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), El Sadig El Mahdi, has reiterated his insistence on a fair trial from within his detention camp in Kober prison in Khartoum North, regarding the charges filed against him by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). The Umma Party has condemned the arrest of El Mahdi and considers it arbitrary, political, and unjust. “He has already been tried in the media and politically, before being taken to a court of law,” the party’s political office stated. The statement affirmed that what El Mahdi is arrested for, namely accusing the Rapid Support Forces belonging to the NISS of committing crimes in Sudan, is the opinion of the party. “It reflects the suffering of our people in the conflict areas and the Sudanese people as a whole.” The presidency refused to order the release of El Mahdi on Sunday, after a meeting with a delegation of leaders of political parties to participate in the National Dialogue. It is “unwilling to intervene in the course of law and the need to complete the ongoing investigations”. On 17 May, Imam El Sadig El Mahdi was detained at his home in El Mulazimin in Omdurman, and taken to Kober prison in Khartoum North. The Imam had denounced the government RSF earlier that week, and accused the militias of committing war crimes in Darfur, recruiting non-Sudanese nationals, and operating beyond the scope of the regular armed troops. The lawyer who accompanied the Umma Party leader to the prison told the press on 18 May that the prosecutor decided to add two criminal charges against El Mahdi last week: “undermining the constitutional order, and calling for violently opposing public authority”. The lawyer noted that these two charges do not allow the release of the accused with a normal bail. File photo: Imam El Sadig El Mahdi (Sudan Tribune file photo) Related: Committee to oversee Sudan media; NCF denounce El Mahdi’s arrest (23 May 2014) El Mahdi detention in Sudan: US Embassy expresses concern (22 May 2014)
The detained leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), El Sadig El Mahdi, has reiterated his insistence on a fair trial from within his detention camp in Kober prison in Khartoum North, regarding the charges filed against him by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).
The Umma Party has condemned the arrest of El Mahdi and considers it arbitrary, political, and unjust. “He has already been tried in the media and politically, before being taken to a court of law,” the party’s political office stated.
The statement affirmed that what El Mahdi is arrested for, namely accusing the Rapid Support Forces belonging to the NISS of committing crimes in Sudan, is the opinion of the party. “It reflects the suffering of our people in the conflict areas and the Sudanese people as a whole.”
The presidency refused to order the release of El Mahdi on Sunday, after a meeting with a delegation of leaders of political parties to participate in the National Dialogue. It is “unwilling to intervene in the course of law and the need to complete the ongoing investigations”.
On 17 May, Imam El Sadig El Mahdi was detained at his home in El Mulazimin in Omdurman, and taken to Kober prison in Khartoum North. The Imam had denounced the government RSF earlier that week, and accused the militias of committing war crimes in Darfur, recruiting non-Sudanese nationals, and operating beyond the scope of the regular armed troops.
The lawyer who accompanied the Umma Party leader to the prison told the press on 18 May that the prosecutor decided to add two criminal charges against El Mahdi last week: “undermining the constitutional order, and calling for violently opposing public authority”. The lawyer noted that these two charges do not allow the release of the accused with a normal bail.
File photo: Imam El Sadig El Mahdi (Sudan Tribune file photo)
Related:
Committee to oversee Sudan media; NCF denounce El Mahdi’s arrest (23 May 2014)
El Mahdi detention in Sudan: US Embassy expresses concern (22 May 2014)
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