Sudan’s National
Intelligence and Security Services raid SHRM premises, seize equipment and
documents
Khartoum: 21 December
2014 - Seven members of the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security
Services (NISS), on 21 December 2014 at about 12 O’clock at Midday, raided the
premises of the Sudanese Human Rights Monitor (SHRM), located in Khartoum II.
The security agents ordered the SHRM staff to cease their work for two hours
during which they searched every corner of the premises. They also ordered participants
at a workshop on universal periodical review, which was taking place in the
premises of the SHRM, to end the workshop immediately. They detained one of the
participants at the workshop, journalist Mohamed Al Fateh Hima, known as
“Mohamed Nyala” without elaborating the reasons for his detention. Mohamed is a
journalist of Al-Maidan newspaper and a member of the secretariat of the
independent “Sudanese Journalists Network”. NISS personnel seized four laptops,
two of them are personal laptops, and two computers desktops belong to SHRM
office in addition to many other documents relating to the activities of the
Monitor.
The break-in on the
SHRM comes as part of rising crackdown on civil society organizations across
the country that include raids, closure, refusal to renew registration,
summoning their officials, termination of their activities, observation of
premises and harassing visitors and imposing travel ban. The raid comes less
than two weeks from the detention of two prominent lawyers and members of the
Monitor: Dr. Amin Mekki Medani and Ustaz Farouq Abu Eissa, in the backdrop of
their signature of the “Sudan Call”.
The SHRM rejects this
security raid and considers it a violation of Sudan’s constitution, laws and
international obligations which guarantee the civil society groups the freedom
of independent work. We also remind the government of the Sudan of its duties
to protect independent civil society activities rather than undermining their
stability through various forms of violations. The SHRM, once again, renews its
demand for the release of its two members, Dr. Amin Mekki Medani and Ustaz
Farouq Abu Eissa, political activist Dr. Farah Agar, Ustaz Mohamed Al Dod and
all the political detainees.
The SHRM calls on
authorities to release Ustaz Mohamed Al Fateh (Nyala) who was detained while
participating in a workshop at the Monitor’s premises. It also demands the
return of the properties of the Monitor and its documents which were unlawfully
confiscated. We will remain ceased of
this matter and regularly update the public opinion.
For further information contact:
Marsad.org.sudan@gmail.com
