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Sudan’s RNM says seeking to release its detained members

RMN militants hold a in Khartoum bus station 3 September 2016 (ST Photo)
RMN militants hold a in Khartoum bus station 3 September 2016 (ST Photo)

November 19, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM) on Saturday said its chairman Ghazi Salah al-Din Attabani has visited families of the movement’s detainees pointing to continued contacts to secure their release.

In the wake of the government’s decision to lift fuel and electricity subsidies on 3 November, the RNM held an open air address in Khartoum criticising the move.

Subsequently, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) detained four RNM members including its external relations official Diaa al-Din Hussein, youth secretary in Khartoum Awad al-Daw Khalifa, RNM chairman in Khartoum, Khalid Sayed Nouri and Gaafar al-Sadig.

In a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune Saturday, the RNM said Attabani visited the families of the detainees to check on them, saying the NISS refuses to disclose the detainees’ location and prevents their families and party officials from visiting them.

It pointed that the RNM and the opposition alliance Future Forces of Change (FFC) have submitted a memo to the speaker of the national parliament Ibrahim Ahmed Omer, describing the detention as “clear violation of the law”.

The statement also said the RNM and FFC leadership have discussed the issue of the detainees with the representative of the African Union.

“The RNM and the FFC are in the process of submitting a memo to the Constitutional Court within a week and they would make further arrangements if they [detainees] weren’t released,” read the statement.

The RNM further said it has submitted a written statement to the foreign embassies and diplomatic missions in Khartoum explaining the circumstances surrounding their detention, noting the movement’s legal office is also preparing a memo to be handed over to the concerned bodies.

Meanwhile, the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami (Islamic Liberation Party) said the NISS has detained several party members and filed a suit for malicious prosecution against them for distributing a pamphlet criticizing the rise in fuel and electricity price.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, the Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesperson Ibrahim Osman Abu Khalil said the authorities refused to give his party a permission to hold a political symposium entitled: “Sudan’s economy and the way out of the trap”.

Following the government decision to raise fuel and electricity price, the NISS launched a large arrest campaign and detained 20 leading figures from the Sudan Congress Party (SCoP) besides several members of the National Umma Party (NUP), Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), Arab Ba’ath Party, National Alliance Forces (NAF) as well as civil society activists and journalists.

Also, the NISS detained twelve and summoned dozens of the Sudanese doctors participating in the strike that has been ongoing since last month.

(ST)

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