Under the Strange Faces Law… A leader in the NUP sentenced to death
The Port Sudan Judiciary sentenced a leader in the National Umma Party (NUP), Mohamed Deng, to death in a trial described as unfair and politicized in favor of the Islamic Movement.
In a development described as a dangerous precedent embodying the exploitation of judicial power to settle political scores, the Central Court in Omdurman issued a death sentence against Mohamed Deng, a member of the National Umma Party’s Political Bureau and a member of the Ansar Affairs Authority’s Council of Resolution and Reform. The sentence was imposed under the so-called “Strange Faces Law,” which the Party described as an “unconstitutional and inhumane text” that has been used as a tool to exact oppression following the outbreak of the ongoing war.
The National Umma Party (NUP) shared in a statement today that the ruling comes in the context of “arrest campaigns and absurd trials waged by the de facto authorities against political and civil leaders who oppose the war.” The statement emphasized that the trial lacked the most basic standards of justice, including guaranteeing the defendant’s right to a defense, access to medical care, and communication with his family and lawyers. It also lacked transparency in the proceedings, amidst accusations of torture, intimidation, and the coercion of evidence.
The statement reiterated that Mohamed Deng was arrested from his home and remained steadfast from the moment of his arrest, exemplifying a commitment to principles and civic behavior. However, he was subjected to a “politicized” trial based on “flimsy charges – at best.”
Furthermore, the (NUP) condemned the “unjust” ruling, holding the de facto authorities fully responsible for the safety of Deng and all political detainees, and affirmed its continued resistance to what it described as “unconstitutional laws” used as a cover for the violation of rights and freedoms.
In its statement, the Party called on all political and civil society forces as well as human rights organizations inside and outside Sudan to take urgent action to stop the “judicial farce,” demand the annulment of the ruling, the immediate release of Mohamed Deng along with all arbitrarily detained individuals, and restore respect for the principle of judicial independence.
The ruling comes at a time of escalating political and security tensions in Sudan, with local and international human rights organizations accusing the parties to the conflict of using State institutions, including the judiciary, to carry out oppressive practices against political opponents and civil society activists.
