ARRESTED CIVILIANS BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNIC TRIBE INKHARTOUM, SUDAN
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:52.1pt; margin-left:-.75pt;line-height:110%;tab-stops:center 105.15pt right 525.85pt"><b>No. H.K/UA/13/023 </b><b>Date: 15<sup>th</sup> September 2023 </b><o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.35pt; margin-bottom:15.4pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center"><b>URGENT APPEAL</b><o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.45pt;text-align:center; line-height:150%"><b>SAF ARRESTED CIVILIANS BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNIC TRIBE IN KHARTOUM, SUDAN </b><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0.05pt 8.4pt 0in; line-height: 153%;"><b>On 5<sup>th</sup> May 2023, SAF soldiers arrested three youth from the market in Khartoum because of their tribe (Rezaigat tribe). Since then, the detainees were kept incommunicado at Alkadaro military base in Khartoum North and any attempt for releasing them was rejected by SAF. It is feared that they could be undergoing torture. </b></p><p> On 5<sup>th</sup> May 2023, Sudan Armed Force (SAF) soldiers arrested Mr. Saleh Mohammed Ahmed, Mr. Hafiz Abdalla Abdelhamid and Eisa Ali Ahmed from Alkadaro market. They were arrested while shopping and on their way home after attending the evening prayers at the mosques. They were arrested because they had answered by <b><i>yes, we are Rezaigat</i></b> when asked by the SAF soldiers about their tribe. <o:p></o:p></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.75pt 0.5pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; line-height: 150%;">The three youth had earlier fled from their neighbourhoods in Khartoum during the mass displacement at the first days of the conflict. They were hosted by their relative; Mr. Saleh Abdelrahman Abdalla (the Imam of mosque). Mr. Saleh (the host) together with some of the residents (neighbours) had approached Alkadaro military base in order to release them. The military personnel agreed and then afterwards rejected the request. Since then, the three (3) detainees have been held incommunicado which raised the fear that they could be undergoing torture. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 16.25pt 0.5pt; text-indent: -0.5pt;">HUDO Centre is concerned about the safety of civilians in Sudan and calls for the following: <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.3pt 34.25pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Sudan Armed Forces to stop arresting civilians arbitrarily. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.3pt 34.25pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Sudan Armed Force to stop targeting people on ethnical or tribal bases. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.9pt 34.25pt; text-indent: -17.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->The Sudan Armed Force in Khartoum State to unconditionally release the three youth or refer them to the courts of law if there is a genuine case against them. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.3pt 34.25pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->The SAF commander in Khartoum State to investigate the circumstances of this arrest. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:14.7pt; margin-left:-.25pt;text-indent:-.5pt;line-height:110%"><b>Additional information: </b><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.8pt -0.25pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; line-height: 149%;">The details of the detainees: Mr. Saleh Mohammed Ahmed (23 years) is student at Alhayat college/ medical laboratory faculty. Mr. Hafiz Abdalla Abdelhameed (17 years) and Mr. Eisa Ali Ahmed (19 years) are students at religious school (Khalwa) in Alsagai village. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.8pt -0.25pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; line-height: 149%;">The host person: Mr. Saleh Abdelrahman Abdalla (38 years) is the Imam of Awlad Elkhair mosque in Um-Elgoraa village. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.8pt -0.25pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; line-height: 149%;">Alkadaro is a neighbourhood at the northern border of Khartoum North in Khartoum State. Um-Elgoraa and Alsagai are villages attached to Alkadaro. </p><p> Since the war broke out in April 2023 between Rapid Support Force (RSF) and Sudan Armed Force (SAF) most of the civilians inside Khartoum were displaced seeking safety and security either to the peripheries of Khartoum or other towns while others crossed borders to the neighbouring countries. In this regard they were mostly hosted by relatives, friends or centres for displaced persons. <o:p></o:p></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.8pt -0.25pt; text-indent: -0.5pt; line-height: 149%;">In Khartoum many reports confirm that SAF is targeting civilians from certain tribes like Rezaigat and Messeryia since the leader of RSF Gen. Hemedti is from Rezaigat and quite a number of his soldiers (are from these two tribes). <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:14.7pt; margin-left:-.25pt;text-indent:-.5pt;line-height:110%"><b>The violated rights:</b> personal freedom <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.25pt 35pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Article 46 of the Constitutional Document 2019. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.05pt 35pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. <o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 4.25pt 35pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. <o:p></o:p></p><p> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 9.8pt 35pt; text-indent: -17.5pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->• <!--[endif]-->Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. <o:p></o:p></p>