A special criminal court for the trial of 78 members of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army, North (SPLA-N), has adjourned its session up to 3th of October for further hearing. The SPLM-N detainees, all from Blue Nile state, face charges under article 12 of Sudan’s Penal Code, concerning involvement in criminal activities; article 24 for criminal acts; article 50 for agitating war against the state; article 52 for dealing with an enemy of the state, and article 58 for inciting rebellion in Sudan.

El Tijani Hassan, head of the Sudanese Organization for the Defence of Rights and Freedoms confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the special court has adjourned its session with respect to the 78 detainees. “The court has also released a list with 17 names to be tried, containing the names of Malik Agar, Commander-in-Chief and Yasir Saeed Arman, Secretary General of the SPLA-N. Both of them are likely to be tried in absentia, he explained.

Hassan pointed out that the court has already issued imprisonment sentences for some of the accused, ranging from 3 to 5 years, for involvement in the armed conflict in the Blue Nile state. Three have been acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The Sinja special court has rejected a plea by Lina Malik Agar, the daughter of the SPLM-N Commander-in-Chief, to restore her properties. She has been removed from the list of accused.

Related coverage:

Court at Sinja postpones consideration of Blue Nile events indictees’ cases (7 June 2013)

Court releases some SPLM-N detainees from Blue Nile (25 July 2013)