U.S. resident in Sudan re-arrested after freed by court

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese state security agents arrested a U.S. resident on Monday, just after a court freed him and dropped charges of forming a terrorist organization in one the first trials of people arrested in anti-government protests, his lawyer said.

Sudan avoided the Arab Spring uprisings that unseated rulers in neighboring Libya and Egypt last year, but austerity measures taken to cope with an economic crisis led to small demonstrations calling for the government to resign.

Sudanese activists say more than 1,000 people have been detained for taking part in such protests, though the number cannot be verified independently.

Security forces arrested Radwan Daoud, whose origins are in Sudan's western Darfur region, and Ahmed Ali Mahjoub last month at a house in a Khartoum suburb.

Daoud has legal permanent resident status in the United States, according to the U.S. embassy in Sudan.

The court dropped charges, filed by state prosecutors, against the two men of forming a terrorist organization and ordered their release, judge Abbas Khalifah told the court session.

He ordered Daoud to pay 500 Sudanese pounds ($90) for planning to burn tires during a protest. Authorities had earlier said they found political materials calling for demonstrations and regime change in the house.

But when police officers were about to release both men security agents arrived and took Daoud away, one of his lawyers said.

"We don't know where he is now," the lawyer said, who asked not to be identified.

The security services could not be reached for comment.

Activists led by students have tried to use public anger over rising food prices to build a broader movement to topple President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's government.

The economic crisis is rooted largely in the secession of oil-producing South Sudan a year ago. The new nation took about three-quarters of Sudan's crude oil output, leaving Sudan with a budget deficit, high inflation and a depreciating currency.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Tim Pearce)

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

U.S. Resident Could Face Death Penalty in Sudan

I spoke with Nancy Williams Dawod, whose husband, Rudwan Dawod, could face the death penalty in Sudan. He's a permanent U.S. resident and in a Sudanese jail facing charges including involvement in a terrorist organization.

I met Rudwan a few years ago via the non-profit Sudan Sunrise. He's worked with the organization to build schools and churches in his home country. (An organization I have also supported.)

Nancy and Rudwan met in Africa, on the first day of her first trip to the continent. And I asked her to respond to the accusation that her husband is involved in a terror group.

Watch the interview here:

As I mentioned in the interview the Sudanese Embassy released a statement to ABC News. The embassy would not speak about Rudwan's case, but did comment on the protests in Sudan. Here is the full statement from Seif Yasin, the Press and Information Counselor at the Embassy:

"Concerning the sporadic protests witnessed in the country, it is important to note first that Sudan affirms and protects the right of the citizens to demonstrate as they wish, provided that the rules and regulations in place are observed, as they are principally meant to ensure public order and safety.

It is during this delicate process of facilitating self-expression and maintaining public order on which some opportunists capitalize to inspire violence and chaos or smear Sudan's image. Fair observers will note how easily things can get out of hand in such settings if the laws that regulate such an affair are not adhered to, be it in Sudan or the United States. The world has witnessed plenty of such disasters. Occupy wall Street protests are a case in point, where numerous arrests were made by the New York Police. While we cannot comment on any one specific case, if any arrests do occur in Sudan, the detained individuals will most certainly have a fair and just trial in court.

Moreover, these protests, though by no means comparable to the ones elsewhere in the world might very well reflect the genuine grievances of a few, relating to economy and job opportunities. And indeed the Government recognizes this and has been aggressively moving to tackle these same economic adversities that the entire world is today challenged with. But in this process, order must prevail, not chaos."

Also Read

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.