ACJPS expresses deep concern over the continued targeting of Sudanese citizens by authorities for their online activities. They have documented another incident where a human rights defender was arrested, tortured, and later charged with defamation under article 159 of the Sudanese Penal code.
KHARTOUM SEPTEMBER 10: African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) expresses deep concern over the continued targeting of Sudanese citizens by authorities for their online activities. ACJPS has documented another incident where a human rights defender was arrested, tortured, and later charged with defamation under article 159 of the Sudanese Penal code.
On 7 August 2022, at 09:40am, a group of police detectives from Zalingi city in West Darfur State arrested Mr. Saif Eldlien Adam Ahmed, aged 22 from the main street next to popular square located in front of Zalingi University.
Mr. Saif Eldlien Adam was taken to Zalingi Police Station where he was neither interrogated nor charged.
However, while on transit to the police station, he was beaten using the butt of the automatic guns and stamped on with military shoes. From Zalingi Police Station, he was moved to Custom Police office and later taken to the new local government building which is still under construction, located approximately two kilometers from town center.
The officers continued to torture him by beating him with pistol butt and forcing him to stand under the sun for two hours during which he was being verbally insulted with words like “you are slave. Since we are in power, we will raise you“.
He was later taken back to office of the police detectives and released on bond at 05:00 Pm on the same day.
He was informed by the police that he was charged with defamation under article 159 of Sudanese Penal code because of his post on social media about the four Christians who were arrested and charged with apostasy in Zalingi after the police raided their church located in Stadium neighborhood of Zalingi.
After two weeks, Mr. Saif Eldien reported to the police station, and he was informed that there is no case filed against him.
On 28 August 2022, Mr. Saif Eldien went to the police station in Zalingi and requested for medical form so that he could go to the hospital for treatment of the injuries he sustained from the torture he was subjected to. He was given the form after the authorization / approval of the prosecutor.
On the same day, he was again arrested by the same detectives and taken to the police station where he found out that there was a defamation charge against him.
ACJPS calls upon the Sudanese authorities to carry out an independent and impartial investigations into the allegation of torture of Mr. Saif Eldlien Adam Ahmed with the objective of holding perpetrators to account and guarantee his access to free medical care.
Darfur: Christian Leader & Family Die Under Suspicious Circumstances
Image: UNAMID
