January 18, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Reform Now Party (RNP) led by former presidential advisor, Ghazi Salah al-Deen al-Attabani, which has recently split from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) accused security forces of arresting and torturing one of its members.

Ghazi Salah al-Deen al-Attabani (AFP)

The individual in question is Emad Ahmed who is the head of the RNP youth sector in the East Nile area in Khartoum, according to a statement issued by the party.

RNP said Ahmed was arrested for four hours and released after he was subjected to several forms of torture.

The statement pointed out that the RNP official was giving a briefing about the current political situation. The party vowed to protect the rights of its members by any means necessary and to continue holding public meetings.

It also called on the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) to protect the nation and not the ruling party.

The RNP head al-Attabani was expelled from the NCP last October along with two others in the wake of a memo he drafted, along with more than two dozen party figures the month before, calling for the reversal of a decision to lift fuel subsidies and an end to the violent measures taken against demonstrators who took to the streets to protest.

(ST)