Sudan: Detained Student Activists On Hunger Strike in Sudan's Capital

Khartoum — Three student activists detained by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) in Khartoum embarked on a hunger strike on Friday, in protest against a renewed detention period of three months.

The NISS detained Mohamed Salah, of the Democratic Front, the students' arm of the Sudanese Communist Party; Tajelsir Jaafar, member of the New Forces Movement, and Muamar Mousa, of the Reform Now Party (RNP) on 12 May without charges, against the backdrop of student demonstrations at the University of Khartoum.

Their relatives were allowed to visit them for the first time after 32 days of detention. On 17 June, Zainab Badreldin, the mother of Mohamed Salah, and Sabah Osman, the mother of Tagelsir Jaafar said at a press conference in Khartoum that they noticed traces of torture on their sons' bodies.

On Sunday, the mothers told Radio Dabanga that their sons and Muamar Mousa on Friday embarked on a hunger strike in protest against the extension of their detention for another three months.

The mothers said that their sons were tortured again. Osman, who had been allowed to visit her son on Wednesday again, said that Jaafar's face was seriously distorted by wounds. Badreldin noted that apart from her son's deteriorating health in general, his eye had become worse, "which requires urgent medical care".

They hold the NISS responsible for the health of their sons.

Prof. Mashood Adebayo Baderin, the UN Independent Expert on human rights in Sudan, who paid a ten-day-visit to Sudan in June, said in his a press briefing in Khartoum on 22 June that he had discussed the detention of the three student activists with NISS officers.

"Based on reports I have received, I am concerned about the condition of these detained youths, and was disappointed by NISS's refusal of my request to visit Mohamed Salah to enable me to verify his condition of health. I urge NISS to either bring these youth detainees to trial before a competent court of law if there is evidence of any offence against them, or release them forthwith if there is none."