The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed deep concern over the continued detention of Sudanese journalist Babakr Othaman. **Updates IFEX alert dated 11 September 1996** Othaman, a correspondent for the Qatar-based daily “Al-Watan”, was arrested by Sudanese security forces on 4 September 1996 and continues to be held incommunicado without charge. Colleagues at “Al-Watan” […]
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed deep
concern over the continued detention of Sudanese journalist
Babakr Othaman.
**Updates IFEX alert dated 11 September 1996**
Othaman, a correspondent for the Qatar-based daily “Al-Watan”,
was arrested by Sudanese security forces on 4 September 1996 and
continues to be held incommunicado without charge. Colleagues at
“Al-Watan” suspect that Othaman may have been arrested because of
articles he wrote for the newspaper that were critical of the
Sudanese government. Government officials have denied this
allegation, yet they have also failed to specify any charges
against him.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
protected right to “seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” as
guaranteed by Article 19 of the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
he may be detained in a “ghost house,” a clandestine detention
centre where prisoners are routinely tortured
of Othaman and to publicise the official charges, if any, against
him
with an offence deemed criminal by international standards
Appeals To
His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of the Sudan
People’s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Mr ‘Abd al-Basit Sabdarat
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Mr Ali Osman Mohamed Taha
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873
Khartoum, Sudan
Mr Obeid Haj Ali
Chief Justice
Supreme Court
Khartoum, Sudan
Mr Ahmad al-Mufti
Secretary
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudanc/o the Sudanese Embassy in France
Fax: +011 331 4563 6673
(in Canada)
Embassy of the Republic of Sudan
85 Range Road
Suite 507-510
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 8J6
Tel: +1 613 235 4000/4999
Fax: +1 613 235 6880
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
