The 22-month detention and subsequent release of a group of detainees in Blue Nile has been branded ‘a violation of their rights’ by the Sudanese Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms (SODRF) and the lawyer defending the detainees.

Lawyer Ustaz Al Tigani Hassan told Radio Tamazuj that some of the accused were released this week after nearly two years in detention. “The Special Criminal Court in Singa town in Sinar state ruled that no evidence could be found against the accused, and released them.”

Initially, 113 people were detained after a State of Emergency was declared following heavy fighting between rebel forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) and government forces and militias in Blue Nile state in September 2011.

In January 2013, 28 of them were released, while criminal charges were brought against the remaining 85 under the Penal Code, the Weapons and Ammunition Act and the Combating of Terrorism Act, however, human rights organisations have constantly questioned whether they were receiving a fair trial.

Hassan underscored that if someone is accused of committing a crime, the authorities must carry out an investigation first in order to avoid such a violation of detainees’ rights.

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