University student sentenced to 10 years in prison for a passing joke

Students at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Alzaiem Alazhari University appealed to the local and international community, independent media outlets, and human rights organizations to take urgent action to save their colleague, Mustafa Youssef Mohamed Al-Ghazali, who was sentenced to prison on charges of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In their statement, the students described the sentence against their colleague as “unjust and harsh,” asserting that the accusation was based on flimsy allegations-at best- that aren’t supported by any material evidence, nevertheless, the entire case was built on a passing “joke” made in the context of a personal conversation.
This tragic development comes amidst an extremely tense political and security environment in Sudan, where fears are growing -for rather valid reasons- that the judiciary is being exploited to settle political scores and suppress freedom of expression.
From a Passing “Joke” to (10 Years) in Prison
It’s worth noting that the unfolding details of the aforementioned case shed light on the fragility of the evidence relied upon by the judiciary. As according to the students’ statement, Mustafa, known for above reproach morals and academic discipline, had no political or military activity.
Furthermore, the entire incident was no more than a spontaneous conversation between him and a friend, during which Mustafa made a passing “joke” that was later utilized as solid evidence to convict him of the crime of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces.
The statement added that “despite witness testimony and confirmation that there was no evidence of the charge, and despite the fact that the incident was merely a joke, the court issued a harsh sentence that was disproportionate to the nature of the case, which constitutes a clear violation of the principles of justice and human rights.”
According to the students, this blatant contradiction between the available so-called evidence and the ruling represents a “clear violation of the principles of justice and human rights.” They shared that such rulings are completely disproportionate to the nature of the case and only serve to invoke more questions regarding the independence of the judiciary and the integrity of legal procedures in the country.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first incident that sparked controversy over judicial rulings in Sudan. Numerous human rights organizations have documented an alarming increase in arbitrary arrests and harsh sentences based on vague accusations or flimsy evidence, particularly during periods of conflict and political tension.
In a previous report, Amnesty International (AI) noted that the Sudanese authorities often resort to charges of “collaborating with hostile parties” or “inciting sedition” to suppress opponents and activists, even if their actions were merely expressing their opinions peacefully.
Student Demands and an Online Campaign
Nevertheless, in an effort to draw attention to their colleague’s case, students from the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels at Alzaiem Alazhari University put forward three main demands, that included a review of Mustafa’s sentence, and a review of the evidence according to the standards of justice and fairness.
In addition, they called for immediate intervention by local and international human rights organizations to provide legal support and pressure the authorities to ensure a fair trial.
Naturally, they called on free media to shed light on the case and reveal the details of what they described as an “unjust sentence.”
To reinforce these demands, the students launched an online campaign under the hashtag (#FreedomforMustafaAlGhazali), aiming to mobilize support and solidarity with their colleague.
This campaign represents a powerful outcry from within the academic community, reflecting a deep sense of injustice and underscoring the importance of defending students’ basic rights under the current circumstances.