Threatening the Peaceful Coexistence.. SAF conduct arrests on the basis of identity
Sudanese citizens from the regions of Darfur and Kordofan face the threat of being arrested in areas controlled by the Sudanese Army, north and east of the country, if they visit these regions, on charges of cooperating with the Rapid Support Forces.
Dozens of families from the aforementioned two regions -Darfur and Kordofan- reported that their children have been arrested in cities in northern and eastern Sudan, following their arrival to these areas for purposes related to education, medical treatment, trade, or travel abroad.
In the past period, the authorities in areas controlled by the Sudanese Army have brought dozens of detainees, who were arrested based on their regional or ethnic affiliation, to court on charges of espionage, for the Rapid Support Forces.
The sentences issued against them ranged from death to life imprisonment.
Trials On Regional and Ethnic Basis
Legal experts considered these trials as a blatant reinforcement of hate speech and ethnic discrimination, which threatens the unity and cohesion of the country. The sentences issued based on regional and ethnic identity represent a real threat to peaceful coexistence among the components of Sudanese society.
Among the more prominent cases, Omar Ahmed Abdel Hadi, a 20-year-old student, faces a five-year prison sentence on charges of belonging to the Rapid Support Forces.
The student, who was on his way to the Northern state to take his high school exams, was arrested by a group of Sudanese Army personnel in the city of (Al-Goulid), and found himself in prison instead of a classroom.
A Female Student Sentenced to Death in Kassala
In a similar case, a court in the eastern Sudanese city of Kassala, headed by Judge Ibrahim Abdel Marouf, issued a death sentence against the student Ghufran Osman Musa Adam (21 years old), on charges of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces.
Among the evidence provided in the case against the student was a post on Facebook mourning one of the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces who were killed in the war.
Ghufran fled from Khartoum to Sennar state, then to Kassala in search of safety, before she was arrested and tried on charges of communicating with the Rapid Support Forces.
Families of the Detainees’ Complaints
In the same context, families from East Darfur state confirmed that the Sudanese Army arrested dozens of their sons in cities in northern and eastern Sudan based on their regional affiliation, on charges of communicating with the Rapid Support Forces, according to the (Darfur 24) website.
The website quoted Mahmoud Hamed, a resident of the city of (Ed-Daein), as saying that his brother Mohammed (27 years old) was arrested by the Sudanese Military Intelligence at the entrance to the northern state while traveling on a commercial trip to the city of (Ed-Debbah). He added that more than a month has passed and the family has no information concerning the fate of his brother.
Yasser Issa, a resident of Al-Matar neighborhood west of Ed-Daein City, also spoke about the arrest of his brother Hamdan in the city of Port Sudan last week while attempting to complete his procedures to travel abroad.
He confirmed that the Security Services in the city arrested him without justification other than that being from East Darfur state.
Concerns Regarding the Impact of Trials on National Justice
Lawyer Rehab Mubarak Sayed Ahmed, a member of the executive office of the (Emergency Lawyers) human rights group, told (Erem News) that these trials are purely politically motivated, noting that the current judiciary follows the orientations of the ruling National Congress Party during the era of former President Omar al-Bashir.
She added that these rulings contribute to the consolidation of hate speech and regional discrimination, which threatens the unity of the country and its social stability.
The Risk of Arrests for Sudanese Youth
Dozens of Sudanese youths from Darfur and Kordofan states continue to travel weekly to cities such as (Ed-Debbah) in the Northern state, (Atbara) in the River Nile state, as well as (Port Sudan) in the East, for the purposes of trade, education, or travel procedures, while they face the threat of arrest on charges of communicating with the Rapid Support Forces.
These trials are part of a policy targeting certain social components in the country, as the residents of Darfur and Kordofan are viewed as ‘Social Incubators’ for the Rapid Support Forces, which places them in a state of constant imposed confrontation with the authorities in areas controlled by the Sudanese Army.
These legal and human rights violations confirm that Sudan faces serious challenges in maintaining independent judicial justice and peaceful coexistence among its various components in light of the current political situation.
