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| May 12, 2011 |
Hawa Abdulla Mohammed Salih, a UNAMID staffmember and activist in women's affairs is passionate about the rights of displaced people. On may 6 Ms Abdulla was abducted by armed national security personel in Abu Shouk camp for displaced people. She was taken to Khartoum where she is denied access to her family and to legal counsel.
It is not the first time Ms Abdallah has been targeted by the regime. Human Rights Watch Reports; 'In 2009, following the ICC announcement of charges against President Omar al-Bashir, authorities detained Abdallah for six days and seriously injured her during interrogations.'
'On May 8, Sudan's state news service published an article accusing Abdallah of "christianizing" children in displaced persons camps and of links to a rebel group. The crime of apostasy is punishable by death under Sudanese law. An accompanying photo of Abdallah holding a Bible shows visible signs of fatigue and what appear to be bruises on her face.' said Human Rights Watch.
"We are deeply concerned that Hawa Abdallah is at risk of serious ill-treatment and torture," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The government's own photo of her supports our concerns."
Sudanese authorities should give her immediate access to her family, lawyers of her choosing, Human Rights Watch said. She should have immediate access to an independent doctor to carry out a medical examination.
Authorities have refused requests by UNAMID peacekeepers to see Abdallah.
'The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has long used its broad arrest and detention powers to target activists and real or perceived opponents of the ruling National Congress Party. So far in 2011 alone, the NISS has detained hundreds of people in connection with a wave of popular protests against the ruling party, mistreating, and torturing scores of the detainees.
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/11/sudan-free-female-activist